now tell me, how did all my dreams turn to nightmares?
by cappuchoni
Summary: After an unfortunate accident knocks Cheryl out cold, she wakes to find the world is not as she remembers.
1. Chapter 1

"Please, Cher," Toni begged again. "If you don't play we'll forfeit."

Cheryl huffed and rolled her eyes, "And how is that my problem?"

Toni smiled a toothy grin and gave her best puppy dog eyes, "Because you love me?"

"I _cheer _for sports. I don't _play _them," she reminded her girlfriend.

"Please?"

"Believe it or not, mon amour, but I do not wish to cater to every lesbian stereotype."

"Right, babe, because you're _such _a stereotypical lesbian," the pinkette laughed.

Cheryl crossed her arms across her chest and huffed, "I own a flannel."

"That you stole from me!"

The redhead thought for a moment. She really did not want to play, but this was important to her girlfriend, who was important to her. "_ Fine _," she caved. "What exactly will I have to do?"

"Seriously?" Toni's face lit up, "Nothing! You won't have to do a thing, babe. Just stand in the outfield so we have a complete team out there. Peaches is pitching, and that girl has a wicked curveball. It should be a no hitter. Thank you so much! I'll text the girls and let them know the game is still on."

Cheryl watched as Toni picked up her phone and began typing out a group text. She sighed, immediately regretting her decision.

* * *

It was already the second of two games, and Cheryl was bored out of her mind. The fourth inning had just started, and to the redhead's dismay there were still another three once it concluded.

Just as Toni had assured her, Cheryl hadn't needed to do a thing. She found herself standing in the outfield, her glove tucked under her elbow. Rather than attempt to fake interest in the game, she choose to spend the remaining time scrolling through her Instagram feed. There was no reason to start participating now when the ball had not come within 50 feet of her in the last hour and a half.

"And that's three!" Toni yelled from third base, causing Cheryl to close lock her phone and slide it into her back pocket.

The teams swapped places, and Chery followed Toni to the benches, taking the seat next to her.

"How much longer?"

Toni finished taking a drink from her water bottle and replaced the cap before rolling her eyes and turning to her girlfriend. "Just about another half hour, babe."

The redhead whined, "And then home?"

"The girls wanted to stop by the Wyrm for a drink after," Toni started to say before noticing the exhausted appearance of her girlfriend. "You know what, nevermind. They can celebrate our glorious victory without me."

"No, I promised not to monopolize all of your time. Compromise? One drink at the Wyrm, and then home?" Cheryl asked, attempting to find a middle ground. After their breakup the previous year the two had been making an effort to see things from the other's point of view. For Cheryl, that meant sharing, something the redhead found to be a constant struggle.

"Deal," the pinkette smiled. "One drink, and then home. And since you are being so amazing tonight how about I give you a massage after we shower? I'm sure your arms are sore from all that texting you are doing in the outfield."

"I can't help that I'm _bored _," she said exasperated. "It's not like the ball has come anywhere near me all night."

"I know, Cher. I'm just glad you're here." Toni leaned in and placed a kiss upon her girl's cheek. "I'll show you just how glad when we are home and cleaned up."

"I'm holding you to that, ma cherie."

The shorter girl bit down on her lower lip momentarily before smirking, "You know how much I love it when you speak French to me, right?"

Cheryl leaned forward and met her girlfriend's lips with a kiss before whispering, "Oui, vous l'avez dit plusieurs fois. Alors peut-être que j'utiliserais cette langue de l'amour ce soir, entre vos cuisses, après le massage que vous m'avez promis."

"I have absolutely no idea what you just said, babe," Toni laughed. "But I have a feeling it was good."

"Very good, mon petit amour."

"And on that note, it's my turn to bat. One more kiss for good luck?"

"You don't need luck, TT, but I will never turn down a chance to kiss the most beautiful girl in the world."

Toni rolled her eyes, laughing. "Trust me when I say _you _are the most beautiful." She leaned down and received the kiss she requested before grabbing her bat and heading to the plate.

Before Cheryl knew it the Poisons were up by three more points, causing them to be winning against the Bijou Buttercups 17 - 2. She found herself back in the outfield, once again playing with her phone, waiting for the last inning to finish so they could be on their way.

"Strike one!"

"Ugh," the redhead mumbled. She glanced up from her phone briefly to admire how nice her girlfriend's ass looked in her fastpitch pants. Cheryl tilted her head and smiled absentmindedly letting her mind wander to what she had planned once they returned home after the bar later that evening.

"Strike two!" The sound of Bear Trap's booming voice pulled Cheryl out of her day dream.

_Where do they get these nicknames? I lucked out Toni doesn't want to go by something stupid like Cheese Ball or Pebbles. Whenever I think it can't get worse they prove me wrong. _

The redhead returned her attention to her phone. Only one more strike and she could sit down for the rest of the monotonous game. Not too much longer until she would be at the Whyte Wyrm and from there home with her beloved.

She hit like on the post Josie just shared of her and Archie after his boxing match before continuing to scroll through her feed.

_Hurry up. _

Cheryl tapped on a video Polly shared of her niece and nephew to enable the audio. The redhead smiled as she listens to the sound of their laughter playing from her phone's speaker. She faintly registered the crack of a bat coming from home plate.

"CHERYL!"

The sound of Toni's voice caused Cheryl to jerk her head up just in time to see the softball zooming straight for her. A moment later everything went black.

* * *

The mattress below her felt old and worn, reminding her of staying with Toni after her girlfriend rescued her from the Sisters of Quiet Mercy.

_How hard did that ball hit me? It must have been hard if they moved me without waking me up. _

An unfamiliar smell invaded her nostrils. Cigarette smoke. No one she knew smoked. Jason had briefly one summer while he was alive, but the smell had always turned the redhead's stomach. Now, it strangely felt almost inviting.

"Toni? W-where am I?"

Cheryl brought her hand to her face and rubbed circles upon her eyelids to aid in waking herself up. Her mouth opened in a yawn as her eyelids fluttered open. Feelings of surprise and unnerve hit her suddenly upon realizing she was alone.

"Babe? Where are you?"

She sat up fully before turning and swung her legs off the bed. Her bare feet came in contact with worn, dingy carpet.

"Toni, this isn't funny! Where are you, and where are my shoes?"

The redhead dragged herself out of the bedroom and into the main area of the trailer. It was perfectly still. Not a sound could be heard except for the faint buzzing of the window AC unit sticking out against the far window.

"If this is some kind of joke… Seriously, where is everyone?" Her voice cracked in panic as the words left her mouth. Her breathing quickened, and her eyes darted around the room for some sign of where she currently found herself.

Cheryl's eyes stopped upon another pair staring back at her. The bathroom door was opened wide, and above the sink was a medicine cabinet with a mirrored door. She looked into the glass and saw a complete stranger. It was her, yet not her at all. The reflection had frizzed, unkempt hair tied upon her head in a messy bun, smudged dark black eye makeup, a small ring in her nose, a daith piercing in her left ear, a double helix through her right, and 6g gauges in each earlobe.

"This really isn't funny anymore, guys! You can come out now. The joke's over."

There was no answer. Cheryl Blossom was completely alone and more lost than ever.


	2. Chapter 2

An ear piercing scream left the redhead's throat as the reality of the situation began to resonate with her. This was not a joke. This was really happening. Whatever _ this _ was.

"Wake up, Cheryl," she told herself to no avail. "You have to wake up. This cannot be real. You…I ... cannot look like _ that _. This is all just an incredibly vivid nightmare."

The front door of the trailer flew open as Jughead Jones nearly fell through the threshold.

"Hobo?"

"W-what?" His face scrunched in confusion before remembering the reason for being there, "I heard a scream. You okay?"

"What's going on? Where am I? Where's Toni?" Cheryl's bottom lip trembled as she listed off her questions. She had never been so lost or confused in her life, not even when her mother had discarded her with the Sisters.

Jughead squinted at her, attempting to figure out if she was serious. "Cher, are you high?"

"Of course not! Will you please answer my questions," she pleaded.

"You're _ home _ ? This," he waved his arms around, "is where you _ live _. As for what's going on, I have absolutely no idea."

Cheryl scoffed at the accusation, "I most certainly do _ not _. I live at Thistlehouse, the same place I've lived for over two years, ever since Thornhill burned down. You know all this!"

"Thistle..._ what _? Seriously, what laced shit did Tank sell you this time?"

"Please just tell me where Toni is. You are talking nonsense, Jones."

"Toni? You mean Toni _ Topaz _?"

She huffed, "Of course I mean Topaz. You know? My _ girlfriend _."

The raven haired boy burst out laughing at her claim. "I never realized you could be so funny, Cheryl. All this time you've been holding out on me. Like you'd ever date the Northside Princess."

"Wh-"

"Hey, but if you are really okay, I gotta run. My shift starts in fifteen. Was just walking by when I heard that banshee noise thing you had going on." He reached up and scratched his head through his beanie, "Seriously though. If this, whatever it is, doesn't wear off soon text me asap. I can have one of the Serpents sit with you or something."

"Wai-"

"Just sit down on the couch. This will pass; I promise. Here," he opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water before tossing it to her. Cheryl managed to catch it as her eyes blinked rapidly, still not processing what the hell was happening. "Drink that. All of it. You hear me? I'm stopping by as soon as I'm off to check on you. Alright?"

The redhead nodded silently.

"Cool, see you in a few hours," he confirmed before turning to walk back to the front door, still left ajar. The boy paused as his hand gripped the doorknob, "I mean it, Cher. Sit. Drink." He gave her a nod and a smile before exiting the trailer, pulling the door closed behind him.

Cheryl sat the bottle down on the TV stand next to her and ran back to the room she had woken up in, hoping to find some sort of clue to explain what was going on. Something was seriously wrong. Her friends wouldn't do this. Jughead Jones wouldn't worry about checking up on her. She wouldn't have so carelessly pierced her perfect skin. Nothing was right about any of this.

When she had awoken the redhead had not bothered to really examine where she was, and now that she was she noticed multiple Polaroids taped to the wall behind the bed. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat as she approached them. As she feared, they were of her, this version of her. There were a few of her and Jason, but there didn't seem to be any of them past the age of 12 or 13. Most of them, however, were of her with Jughead of all people.

_ What kind of hell is this? _

The redhead went the her closet, looking for some sense of herself but found none. There were a variety of shirts and jackets in her size, but at first glance Cheryl couldn't see a single piece of clothing she'd ever be caught wearing. Everything was cheaply made, and no where in the array of clothes was an ounce of red.

_ There is no way this is mine. This is someone else's stuff. Someone else's life. _

She noticed a safe on the flood beneath the hanging garments. Cheryl knelt down and attempted to open it with no luck. The redhead turned the dial using her birthday as the combination, but it was no use. Out of habit she then tried Toni's; she froze on the second number.

_ Toni. _

Cheryl recalled the words Jughead had spoken.

_ "Like you'd ever date the Northside Princess." _

Cheryl looked around the room, hoping to find a smartphone or something she could use to access the internet. Her eyes landed on an old tower PC sitting a the desk wedged between the foot of the full size bed and far wall. Immediately, she ran to the computer and sat in the metal folding chair in front of it. She placed her hand on the mouse, moving it around to wake the computer from sleep. To her dismay, a login screen appeared.

"Damn it."

She leaned back in the seat, hoping the necessary password would magically come to her. Her eyes traveled upwards, looking for inspiration, when a book laying flat on top of the desk caught her eye. Along its side the were words "Riverdale High Yearbook 2018-2019."

Cheryl stood from the uncomfortable chair and reached up to snatched the book from its ledge. She then grabbed a shirt from the floor to use as a makeshift rag and wiped the dust off the cover before throwing it back to which it came. The redhead walked over to the bed, sat down on the edge, and stared at what was in her hands. Nervously, she opened it and began flipping through the pages to find her class.

Cheryl didn't bother looking at anyone else's pictures, all she cared about was finding the T's. Her eyes scanned through the series of small, black and white photos and let out a shaky breath as her eyes located the photo she had been seeking. A tear fell from one eye, which she quickly wiped away. She gently caressed the page with her fingertips as if she was actually reaching through the page magically to touch the girl in the photo. _ Her _ girl.

Cheryl sighed, closed the book, and tossed it aside, not wanting to see anymore. More tears threatened to fall. The redhead sniffled clamped her eyes tight.

_ Don't cry. Don't cry. _

Her self talk did not prevent the floodgates from opening. She fell back onto the bed and cried. Cheryl wanted to get home to the Toni that loves her, not the one in the yearbook who may not even know she exists.

Cheryl's muscles began to ache as the sobs shook her body. The redhead had no idea how long has passed since she started crying. The sun had set, and the room was now being illuminated by a neon sign outside, causing the room to glow a light pink.

A growing ache in her stomach soon became undeniable. She could not remember how long it had been since she had eaten last, and even if she could, the last time she ate was back in the real world. Cheryl could only imagine the last time this body had been blessed with a decent meal.

After forcing herself to get up from the bed, Cheryl ventured out into the living room. She noticed an adjoining kitchen passed the couch and prayed the refrigerator was stocked. The redhead made her way through the trailer, allowing her eyes to wonder for the first time.

The living room had a couch, armchair, an old tube tv, and a makeshift bookcase with an assortment of novels, all of which appeared to be second hand due to their torn covers. The furniture all looked dingy and worn, and one of the couch cousins had a noticeable tear which stuffing was protruding from. There was a tiny table against the back wall with three folding chair sitting around it. Cheryl assumed that was meant to serve as the dining room.

She made a left into the kitchen after passing the long counter coming out from the wall. A gas stove was edged next to the sink, and she thankfully noticed the trailed came equipped with a dishwasher as well. If Cheryl had to be trapped in this nightmare, at least she didn't have to worry about hand washing dishes. Turning to the refrigerator, she noted the coffee pot sitting to its left before grabbing the handle and swinging it open.

The fridge was mostly barren. It's only contents appeared to be an opened 24 pack of Bud Light, a half case of bottled water, ketchup, mustard, and a single red apple. She checked the freezer, hoping there was something in there that would fulfill her hunger. Unfortunately, it was virtually empty as well apart from two ice trays and an expired bag of frozen peas.

Cheryl reopened the fridge and grabbed the apple. She took a bite and was thankful to find it was still crisp and refreshing. She had feared the inside would be rotten, which would be fitting with her current predicament. It didn't take the redhead long to eat it in its entirety due to her hunger. She tossed the core into the trash can next to the refrigerator, wishing there had been more. Her stomach was still as hungry, if possible even more so now that it had been minorly indulged.

_ There has to be something around here somewhere. _

She was about to start searching through the kitchen cabinets when a loud noise outside startled her, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Stupid fucking trashcan," she heard a male voice say.

Panic set in as she realized the man was heading towards the trailer. Cheryl ran to the front door and flipped the lock on the handle before unsteadily walking backwards, her eyes remaining fixed on the door.

"Why is this locked? The fuck are my keys? I'm too drunk for this shit," the voice grumbled as the doorknob rattled. She heard a key turn before the door is opened, and a man with salt and pepper hair walked into the trailer.

Her eyes widened in shock as a gasp escaped her throat. "D-daddy?"

The man scoffed before tossing his keys on the kitchen counter before taking a drink from the beer can in his hand. "What did you get this time? I keep telling you to stop buying from that kid. I don't care how cheap his crap is."

Cheryl's breathing became ragged as she felt an anxiety attack taking hold. "How… how are you here?"

"Shit," he sat down his beer can and walked over to her, concern painted across his face. "Breathe, Cheryl. It's just me."

"You… no, none of this is real!" The redhead scrunched her eyes in hopes to escape the nightmare.

_ He's not real. He's dead. He hung himself. He cannot be here. You can not be here. None of this is real. Wake up, Cheryl! _

"Come on, let's sit down." She flinched as his hands gripped her shoulders, but Cheryl allowed herself to be ushered to the couch. The pair took a seat, and he began to rub circles on her back. "Sorry, I don't have all my faculties right now, but I'm trying. Just breathe."

"You can't be here," she muttered as her body rocked back and forth. "You can't be here."

"Hey, hey," he urged. "Look at me."

The redhead violently shook her head, "No. I can't. You're a monster."

"That monster is behind bars where he belongs. I know you're having a hell of a trip right now, but believe me, he cannot hurt you. Neither of them can."

She opened her eyes and turned her head to meet his worried gaze. "What?"

"It's me, Uncle Claude. Your dad is where he has been for the last five years, locked behind steel bars upstate."

"Uncle Claudius?"

"Okay, as much as I hate that name, at least you know who I am," he laughed slightly as he continued rubbing her back. "Think you can calm down a bit now? Maybe drink some water?"

Cheryl nodded wordlessly.

"I'll grab one for myself too. Sober up a bit," he added as he got up from the couch. "You hungry? May help to get some food in your stomach."

"I… I checked the fridge already," she replied.

"Yeah," Claude scratched his head as he walked to the kitchen. "I need to go shopping. Money's tight this month… _ again _. We do have noodles though. Chicken, beef, or if you are wanting somethin' special I think we have a shrimp left."

"Any-anything's fine. Thank you."

He returned a moment later and handed her a cold bottle from the fridge. "Here, drink this. Water's boilin' on the stove."

"Thanks," she responded weakly as she accepted the bottle.

_ As if water will somehow fix this. _

Cheryl unscrewed the cap and downed half of the bottle. It was taking every ounce of her strength to not break down. The longer she was in this nightmare of a reality the more the situation became clear. She was stuck here, wherever here was, with no idea how to get home.

* * *

True to his word, Jughead returned later that evening. Cheryl was laying on her bed, not that she considered it hers, when she heard voices conversing from the living room.

"How's she doing?"

"Better, I think," Claude answered. "Never seen her like that before. She thought I was Cliff."

"Damn. Well, I'm gonna go check on her."

"Thanks, Jug. I don't know what that girl would do without you."

Jughead stuck his head through the opened door, "Knock knock. Feeling better?"

"No," she replied honestly. "I'm pretty sure I've died, and this is hell."

He laughed, "At least you're sounding like yourself. That's a good sign."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "What do you want, Jones?"

"Can't I check on my best friend?"

_ His best friend? I cannot be best friends with the hobo. This really is hell. _

When he received no answer from the redhead, he walked over and sat down on the bed next to her and pulled a bag from his pocket. "Here, one eighth grade A indica, medical grade. I know money sucks for you guys right now so this is on me. I better not hear you buying from Tank or one of his boys again. I don't want another scare like earlier. Alright?"

"What do you expect me to do with that?"

Jughead raised an eyebrow at her, "Judging by the pipe and lighter on your nightstand I think you already know."

She tilted her head to see what he was referring to. Sure enough, there was a teal glass pipe, a black BIC lighter, and a metallic grinder next to the lamp on the bedside table. An opened carton of cigarettes was also present, explaining the smell she noticed when she woke up earlier.

_ Well that explains why everyone thought I was high. _

"So this is my life?"

He rolled his eyes and smirked, "As long as I've known you."

"I just want to wake up," Cheryl groaned as she rolled away from him onto her side.

Confused, he asked, "Are you talking in your sleep now or…?"

She shook her head as tears fell from her eyes onto the black pillowcase beneath her head. "Nevermind, you wouldn't believe me."

"Try me."

"I'll sounds crazy. But… can you… can you just tell me about myself?" she asked, still refusing to look at the boy sitting behind her.

"Uh… sure, I guess. You don't know yourself by now?"

"Forget it."

"No, hey. Cheryl, turn over," he prompted. "Let's talk. I'll tell you whatever you want to know okay?"

The redhead sniffled as she nodded against the pillow before sitting up and turning to face him. She reached up to wipe the moisture from her cheeks and gave a small smile. "Tell me everything you know, especially if I should know it already. Pretend I have severe amnesia or something."

"You're scaring me, Cher. The hell did you take? Was it pills? That's not like you." Jughead grabbed his beanie and pulled it from his head before running a hand through his hair.

"I'm stone cold sober, okay? Can you help me or not?" she snapped through gritted teeth.

He fisted the beanie in his hands and exhaled deeply. "Okay. I'm going to pretend something isn't seriously wrong that you don't want to tell me about, even though we've had no secrets since we were four. Where do you want me to start?"

"The beginning?"

He started by telling her the story of how they met, in a daycare run by one of the Serpent matriarchs. From the moment he met Cheryl, the two of them had been inseparable. He had been close to Jason as well, but her extroverted twin had found his own group of friends. Cheryl had been the shy one, keeping to herself, and as Jughead put it, "Us loners had to stick together I guess."

On the days Jughead would accompany his dad to his job at Andrews Construction, Cheryl often sat in a corner alone busying herself with a drawing pad while the other children played. Jason would try to get her involved with whatever game he was playing, but she always refused. He would eventually give up and run off with his two best friends, Noah and Frankie, leaving Cheryl to her own devices. Her favorite days were the ones Jughead was there because the raven haired boy would simply sit with her in silence so she wasn't alone.

It had been hard on Cheryl when Jughead went to Riverdale Elementary while she had to go to one on the Southside. Jason did his best to look out for her, but he had always been busy with sports.

Jughead didn't feel comfortable telling her what happened to Jason. He didn't seem to be willing to discuss anything having to do with her family at _ all _. Whenever she tried to ask he shut down and tried changing the subject. Whatever had happened was bad, and it didn't take Cheryl long to realize she was without her dear brother in this reality as well.

"Well?"

With tears in her eyes, she answered, "Well what?"

"I don't know. Did that help? Do you know who you are again?"

"No, but it's not like that's what I was expecting to happen. Thank you, Jughead, for telling me all of that."

His brow furrowed, "I just wish I knew how to help you with whatever it is you're going through. God knows you've helped me through enough shit that I owe it to you to return the favor."

"If I thought there was anything you could do, I'd tell you," she admitted.

Jughead reached over to her nightstand and grabbed the pipe, "How about we smoke a bowl of that green I bought you and see how you feel?"

The redhead shrugged, "Guess it couldn't hurt?"

"That's my girl," he bumped shoulders with her. "Worst case you'll get a good night's sleep for school tomorrow."

Anxiety began to return to her, but she did her best to hide it from Jughead, who was busying himself with the grinder. Going to school meant only one thing to Cheryl, something that both excited and terrified her.

_ Toni. _


	3. Chapter 3

Cheryl woke up with plenty of time to spare. She didn't know what to expect, but in true Blossom tradition she was determined to dress in a way that would make the best impression possible. The problem with that plan was the wardrobe she currently was rummaging through was sure to do the exact opposite.

_ How many band t-shirts can one person need? Who even are most of these? _

She rolled her eyes and scoffed as she continued sliding the hangers along the metal rod, hoping something would be worthy of wearing to meet Toni. It felt like they were meeting for the first time, and in a sense they were. Cheryl had no idea if the two of them had crossed paths in this world, and in the event they hadn't she needed to present the absolute best version of herself.

Eventually she settled on a black long sleeve halter and the nicest pair of jeans she could find, which turned out to be the only pair without holes in them, fashionable or otherwise. She laid the pieces out on the bed before heading to her bathroom to shower.

She closed the bathroom door behind her and stared into the mirror. The redhead still was in disbelief by the reflection staring back at her.

"Left $5 on the counter for you to get lunch. Promise I'll stop by the mart on my way home and get some groceries," her uncle yelled from the other room.

Cheryl had no idea what she could possibly buy with only $5 but replied a thank you nonetheless.

"Anything special you'd like for dinner? I think they're running a sale on hot dogs."

She gagged at the suggestion and with the fakest enthusiasm she could muster responded, "Whatever you get will be fine. Thank you."

"Sure thing. Have a good day at school, Goose," Claud answered just before Cheryl heard the front door close behind him.

_ Did he just call me fowl? _

She physically shook the thought from her head as she began to strip from her clothes to take a shower. As the redhead lifted the shirt over her head, she felt her fingers brush against something hard. Cheryl's head snapped down and her eyes grew wide as she saw the curved barbell piercing her navel.

_ Another one? How many of these do I have? Oh god… please no... _

Hesitantly, she finished removing the top, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath to brace herself. Cheryl turned to face the mirror once again and slowly opened her eyes. A sigh of relief escaped her throat when she saw her breasts were free from any adornments.

Knowing she had one more place to check, she finished undressing and inspected between her thighs. "Oh thank _ God, _" she exhaled, grateful her alternate self hadn't gotten more adventurous than a belly ring.

Cheryl was still concerned, so to avoid any additional surprises she quickly looked over every inch of her pale skin in search for any tattoos. She was thankful to find none; the additional holes in her body were more than enough for her to deal with.

Wasting no more time, she got into the shower and adjusted the faucet. The water was much colder than she was used to due to the low-end water heater being used for the trailer. The redhead did her best to get in and out as quickly as possible and prayed she wouldn't catch a cold from the lack of hot water.

After finishing her shower, Cheryl wrapped herself in a dingy towel and retreated back to her bedroom to finish getting ready. Once she had dried her hair and changed into the outfit she had previously selected, she went searching for makeup. She was not happy with the selection she found.

"How is it possible for _ any _ version of me to not own _ one _tube of red lipstick?" she asked aloud in a huff. Cheryl made due with what she had, opting for a more natural look than what she had woken up in the previous night. She needed to look as good as possible, and without access to her signature color, playing it safe felt like the best option.

"Cher? You almost ready?" she heard Jughead's voice call out from the living room. Her uncle must have left the door unlocked.

"Almost," Cheryl yelled back as she uncapped a tube of nude lipstick. "You can come in, just putting on some finishing touches."

"Want to take a few hits before we-" he stopped when he saw her and his face twisted in confusion. "Who are you and what did you do with Cheryl? You look like you're heading to an interview or something."

"Who would go to an interview in a halter top and jeans? You know what? Don't answer that," she responded before blotting her lips on a tissue before discarding it into the wastebin.

"Maybe, but where's the grunge? Where's the dark eyes and black lipstick? I haven't seen you without a flannel in basically a decade."

"Consider this the new and _ vastly improved _Cheryl." She collected her things and maneuvered around him and back into the bedroom. The redhead grabbed the backpack wedged between the bed and the desk and began going through its contents to make sure she had everything she needed for the day.

Jughead went to her closet and began shuffling through the clothes before pulling out a leather jacket and tossing it onto the bed next to where she was organizing her bag. "At least put that on; you're freaking me out."

Cheryl rolled her eyes and scoffed before grabbing the jacket and sliding her arms through the sleeves. "Happy now?"

"Eh," he shrugged. "Less creeped out I guess. Your face is weird."

"Well your everything is weird," she retorted. "Are we going to school or not?"

"I asked you if you wanted to take a few hits before we leave," the boy reminded her.

"You want to go to school _ high _?"

"Yeah, we do every day. What's with you? I thought that shit would have worn off by now," he questioned, his expression changing to one of concern.

"Nothing is _ with _ me," she huffed. "I just would like to be sober for… nevermind… are we going or not?"

"Yeah… um…" he squinted at her, not believing the words he was hearing. "You driving?"

"I have a car? You mean I don't have to ride to school on the back of your motorcycle?"

"Actually," he grabbed a keyring off her desk, "I think it may be safer if I drive… until you're _ you _ again."

Cheryl scoffed, "Whatever. Let's just go." She pushed past him and didn't stop walking until she was outside.

"Guess I'm locking up too then?" Jughead yelled from the tiny porch as he locked the front door. He adjusted his messenger bag and walked down the steps until he was next to her. The boy smirked, looking between her and the parked cars lining the street in front of the trailer. "You can't remember which car is yours, can you?"

"Are you going to show me or not?"

"Cher, do we need to go to the hospital? I'm legitimately concerned," he pressed.

"Oh my God, no! I'm _ fine _ . Now can you unlock the stupid car so we can get to school. I have someo- some _ thing _ important waiting for me," the redhead huffed in annoyance.

He clicked the keyfob and walked over to a dark grey, 1992 Ford Tempo. Jughead opened the driver door, threw his bag over the seat into the back, and got in. After starting the engine, he rolled down the window and yelled back to Cheryl, "Are you coming or not?"

"_ That's _ my car? It's hideous! How is it even running?"

"You know damn well it just passed inspection two weeks ago when we renewed the plates. Actually," he paused thinking of her behavior since the previous night, "you probably don't… Just get in or instead of school I'm dragging your ass to Urgent Care for a headscan."

"Ugh, fine!" She reluctantly got in the car and was immediately hit with the stench of cigarettes. It took her breath away, and Cheryl began to cough uncontrollably.

"Geeze, you sick too?"

"The smell…"

"Ya well, I've been trying to tell you to quit for years. Maybe your body finally is too," he retorted as grabbed the cable hanging out of the cassette player and plugged it into his phone. "Driver picks the music. Hope you're in the mood for some NOFX."

As he scrolled through his playlists, Cheryl looked around the unfortunate excuse for a car. She couldn't get past the outdated upholstery, stained cloth interior, and archaic stereo system. It truly looked like something she would dream up in her worst nightmares.

"Ah, here we go," Jughead exclaimed as he found what he was looking for and tapped his phone with his thumb. Loud rock music began playing through the speakers, which Cheryl could only describe as _ noise _. His head quickly nodded along to the beat as he pulled away from the curb and began the drive to Riverdale High.

* * *

Thirty minutes later they pulled into the familiar parking lot. Cheryl felt a strange sense of comfort when she saw the building. It was nice to see _ something _ she recognized, even if it was a something as monotonous as high school.

She wordlessly followed Jughead into the school and stood next to him awkwardly as he unlocked his locker and began sorting through his books. He glanced at her a few times, not sure why she was just standing there. After a few minutes it dawned on him.

"Yours is three down by the way, 328," he nodded his head to the side.

"Any chance you know my combination?" Cheryl asked him. She avoided his judgmental gaze, looking at her shoes with pursed lips.

"30-2-17," Jughead exhaled. "This is all really freaking me out. You know that right?"

_ Imagine how I feel. _

"Sorry," she nodded, acknowledging the sentiment. "I know I've been acting weird. Thank you for being so worried about me."

"Hey," he put his hand on her shoulder, gripping it gently, "_ always _. I'm never going to stop worrying about you, alright? Been you and me as long as I can remember. Whatever this is… it's not gonna change that."

Cheryl replied with a smile before walking over to the locker he indicated and entering the combination into her lock. It unlocked without issue and she began sorting through her books. She was grateful to see her alter ego kept a schedule taped to the door, as without it she'd have no idea where to go.

"No, I'm not coming by after school. I have cheerleading."

The moment Cheryl heard her voice a chill rushed through her body. She turned around and gasped when she saw her. It was not a Toni she recognized, but it was still undeniably her. Gone were the pink streaks she had come to know, instead the girl's hair was dyed blonde, ombréd near her natural brunette roots. The locks didn't have their normal wave, rather they had been flat ironed and laid perfectly straight against her back. She was wearing a leather mini skirt and a sheer white shirt with the sleeves rolled to cuffs above her elbow. Cheryl could see Toni's black bra through her shirt, but tried her best not to focus on it.

"Yes, I will see you Saturday," she replied into her cell phone. "I promise. Yes, I'll actually be there this time. Bye, Grandpa." Toni slid her phone into her bag, threw her hair over her shoulder, and opened the locker directly across the hall from Cheryl's.

The redhead was so focused on Toni she didn't notice Jughead had appeared next to her.

"Hey, I've got meet with a couple of the Serpents before first period. Meet up with you at lunch?"

Cheryl nodded, not bothering to give him a verbal response. All her attention was focused elsewhere, on the blonde haired girl rummaging through the locker on the other side of the hallway_ . _She stood frozen, her mouth hung open. It was as if the mere presence of the girl sucked all the air from her body, and suddenly she was rendered speechless.

"Alright, you'll be good until then right?"

She nodded again, unable to form words. The response seemed to appease him, as Jughead nodded and took off down the hall.

Cheryl had no idea how long she had been staring, desperately trying to think of _ something _ to say. Would she need to introduce herself? The idea of Toni not knowing who she was terrified her. It had been she who broke the ice the first time, first in the bathroom and then at the movies. The redhead was so out of her element, but for her girl she would do anything. She inwardly laughed at how nervous she was, a far cry from the Bombshell persona she had been perfecting most of her life. Toni had been the one to break down her walls, and without her she was left feeling small and vulnerable.

The sound of a locker door closing started Cheryl from her thoughts. Toni turned around, immediately noticing she had an audience, "Excuse you?"

_ Toni's talking to you. Say something. _

"Well? What are you staring at?"

_ Anything. Say anything, Cheryl. _

"I…"

A look of disgust flashed across the blonde haired girl's face, "What's your damage, freak?"

_ Oh. That's new. _

Cheryl was petrified, a deer caught in headlights. She began to panic, her bottom lip trembling slightly. Toni began to walk towards her. For every step she took, the redhead took one backwards. It continued that way until Cheryl felt her back press up against the lockers, but Toni continued until there only inches between them.

"I _ asked _, what's your damage, freak?" Toni repeated herself.

Given the Vans she was wearing and the heels the blonde had on, Cheryl found herself shorter than Toni for the first time. Even without the height discrepancy, she had never felt smaller than she did at that moment.

"Nothing," she forced out. "I'm sorry, TT."

Toni squinted slightly in a mix of confusion and annoyance, "What did you call me?"

Realizing her error, Cheryl immediately tried to back track. "I didn't. I… I'm sorry."

"In the future remember you don't talk to me, don't look at me, don't even breathe the same air as me without my permission. And most certainly do not call me_ that _. Got it?"

Tears pooled in her eyes. This wasn't Toni. The girl before her was the farthest thing imaginable from the Toni Topaz she knew. If she was being honest with herself, Cheryl would say that this version of Toni was reminiscent of _ herself _, the version she was before Toni.

"G-got it."

"Good morning, T," an approaching voice greeted gleefully. "Who's this?"

Cheryl glanced to Toni's side to see Veronica, concern painted on her face.

"Just some Southside scum," she smirked, sizing Cheryl up in the process.

Veronica gave Cheryl a sympathetic smile. "Aw, she doesn't seem so bad. Hi, I'm Veronica Lodge." The raven haired girl extended her hand to Cheryl. Upon receiving no response, she turned to Toni, "Did you have to go and traumatize the girl?"

Toni shrugged, clearly not caring. "Are we done here?" she asked Veronica, clearly exasperated with the situation. Not waiting for an answer, Toni turned and walked away.

With a huff, Veronica adjusted her purse strap and mouthed, "Sorry," before taking off after Toni.

_ What just happened? That's not Toni. That cannot be Toni. _

"Cheryl?" a worried voice called out.

With glassy eyes, she looked up to see Ethel standing next to her.

"Are you okay?"

She shook her head as the tears broke free and cascaded down her cheeks.

Ethel gently placed her hand on Cheryl's shoulder, "Do you want me to get Jughead?"

Cheryl shook her head again.

"What about a hug?" Receiving a nod, Ethel pulled Cheryl in close and held her as she cried.

* * *

Four hours, three periods later Cheryl found herself walking mindlessly towards the cafeteria. Thankfully, Toni had not been in any of her morning classes. The redhead never thought she'd ever be thankful to spend time away from the girl, but she didn't think she could manage seeing her again so soon after their morning confrontation.

Her classes had gone by effortlessly. Apparently, in this reality she wasn't known for her mind, so the fact that she knew the answers when called on seemed to render her teachers speechless. Cheryl saw a few of her friends in her classes, but after the encounter with Toni she was too afraid to speak to any of them. Not knowing who else would be different, she opted for keeping her head down and not interacting with anyone unless necessary.

She paused outside the door, inhaled deeply, and strengthened her posture. She didn't know what was waiting for her behind the thick wood. Everyone in her year would be in there, since juniors and seniors shared the first lunch rotation.

_ God, pull yourself together Cheryl. _

"Are you gonna open that?"

Cheryl looked over her shoulder to see Archie standing behind her waiting for her to open the door. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to be in the way," she says meekly as she stepped out of the way.

"No problem. Hey, you're Jughead's friend. Cheryl, right?" He asked.

"Hi, Archie. Yeah, that's me... even if it doesn't feel like it anymore."

"Yeah," he laughed. "I know what that's like. Here's to hoping you find yourself again. After you." The boy opened the door for Cheryl, then entered behind her. "Have a good lunch," he added before walking away.

Her eyes zoomed around the cafeteria, either searching for a friendly face or the one she needed to avoid. Thankfully, her eyes landed on Jughead rather than the latter. Cheryl sighed in relief before making her way over to him.

_ I'm actually happy to see Jughead. My life has never been so twisted. _

"You buying lunch?" he asked as Cheryl approached the table.

The redhead flinched, immediately realizing she forgot to grab the money her uncle left for her. "I don't have… um I forgot... I mean," She stumbled over the words while fidgeting with her nail beds, careful not to pick at the skin.

He stood up, motioning Cheryl to follow, "Come on, Cher. I got you. Let's buy you something to eat, huh?"

"Thank you, Jughead." Her eyes glossed back over, but she did her best to hold her composure, not wanting to suffer a second public breakdown. "Wait, what about yours?"

"It'll be fine. I'm not above cold food. You need to eat." He looked back when she didn't start walking, "You coming?"

She followed him through the crowd of students until they reached the food line. Usually she turned her nose at the school's offerings, but after only eating an apple and ramen since the previous night, she was salivating at the selection.

"Don't worry about the cost; get whatever you want," he instructed.

Cheryl wasn't sure how Jughead had extra money to be paying for her food, or the weed he brought last night for that matter. The boy was looking out for her, and she was in no place to question him. She ended up with three chicken tenders, a generous portion of mashed potatoes, and a salad. It wasn't what she would typically have selected, but she wanted something hearty, not knowing if she'd be surviving on instant noodles another night.

The pair got in line to pay, ending up right behind Archie. The red haired boy glanced behind him and upon seeing her selection smiled. "Great minds," he said nodding to the chicken and potatoes on his own tray.

"Line's moving," Jughead said emotionlessly, his jaw twitching slightly.

"Right," Archie replied, his voice dropping. "See ya around."

"Come on," the raven haired boy instructed before taking off to a different cashier.

Cheryl glanced between the two boys, confusion across her face, before following Jughead so he could pay for her food. She brought the interaction up when they were back at their table.

"So, what happened back there?"

Jughead looked up, his mouth full of cheeseburger, "Hm?"

"You and Archie," she clarified. "I thought you were best friends?"

He finished chewing his food and wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his jean jacket. "Haven't been friends for over two years. It's hard to keep up with what you know and what you don't know... ya know?"

"Can you humor me and explain why?"

Jughead looked longingly across the cafeteria. Cheryl's gaze followed his to see Archie, Betty, Veronica, Josie, and Kevin sitting together, laughing at some sort of joke.

"Jughead?" she asked, pulling him out of his trance.

"He knew how much I liked her," he said absentmindedly. "He was giving me advice. I actually thought I had a shot too."

"What?" Cheryl looked back and saw Archie's arm slide around Betty's shoulder. He leaned over and kissed her cheek, causing the blonde's face to flush upon contact. "Archie's with Betty… but _ how _?"

"The back to school dance sophomore year. Betty asked him, and he said yes. Swore they were just going as friends. That it didn't mean anything," he clenched his jaw and shook his head. "Then at school on Monday they were all of a sudden a thing."

"No, but the dance… that's the night he kissed Veronica?"

Jughead snapped his focus back to Cheryl, "What? No, Archie's never kissed Veronica."

"Yes, at the after party, during seven minutes in heaven. I distinctly remember because I-" she stopped herself, realizing she was the catalyst that caused that interaction to happen.

"I'm not sure what you're remembering, but there was no after party," he shook his head as he took another large bite from his burger.

"R-right, I'm not sure what I was thinking," she tried to backtrack. "So cousin Betty is why you two aren't friends anymore?"

"Cousin? You two are related?"

_ Am I even supposed to know that here? _

"Oh… I don't think she knows. I wasn't supposed to ever say anything."

He squinted at her, trying to figure out what was going on with the redhead. "Sure, Cher. Secret's safe with me."

She nodded and stabbed at her potatoes with her fork. "I think I lost my appetite."

"You've barely eaten. Half your food's still there," he observed, partially eaten burger flying out of his mouth. "Sorry."

"Gross," she wiped off her shirt with the back of her hand. "Now I'm _ sure _I've lost my appetite."

Cheryl stood from the table and grabbed her tray. She walked over to the trash can, not paying attention to her surroundings. As she turned the corner at the end of the row of tables, the redhead collided with someone. Luckily, all of her food stayed on the tray, but whoever she ran into didn't seem as lucky.

"Watch it," an annoyed voice snapped.

_ Of course. If I'm going to walk into someone, why wouldn't it be you? _

She closed her eyes, emotions already getting the better of her, before turning to face Toni, "S-sorry. I… I wasn't watching where I was going."

"That's obvious," Toni responded, bending down to gather her things. When she stood up she noticed who caused her to drop her bag in the first place and scoffed. "You again, really?"

"I was just going to throw my trash away. I didn't mean to, I swear." Cheryl tried to ignore her, dumping her leftover food into the bin and placing the tray on the return above.

The blonde shoved past her and threw a soda can into the trash, "That was my intention too before _ someone _ knocked into me."

"I really am sorry," Cheryl reiterated.

Toni turned around to face her, "And I really don't care."

"Hey, babe," a girl with honey blonde hair walked up and wrapped her arm around Toni's waist. Cheryl couldn't place the girl, but something about her felt eerily familiar. She pulled Toni flush against herself before placing a kiss on her cheek. "You walking me to class or what?"

_ She has a girlfriend. Toni has someone else. _

Cheryl's heart shattered as she witnessed the girl kiss the cheek that was supposed to be reserved for her and her alone. Her stomach turned watching the girls sunkissed arm snake it's away around Toni's petite frame.

"Yeah, just dealing with some trash," Toni replied, her eyes locked on Cheryl's to make sure her message was received.

_ I'm the trash. Toni is calling me trash. _

"Well, let's go. I think you've wasted enough time with the Southside rabble for one day," the taller blonde sneered.

The redhead did her best to not let them see her cry, but it became more difficult by the second. Her eyes burned as she forced herself to remain as composed as possible. The pain in her chest grew increasingly unbearable. It was all too much to process. Just when Cheryl believed it couldn't possibly get any worse, it did.

"Couldn't agree more, Heath."

_ Heath. As in… _

"H-heather?"

_ Five years older and a new nose, but it's her. _

Cheryl looked upon the girl in complete shock. Her first love, the girl she hadn't laid eyes on since the day her dreadful mother ripped her from her bed at Thornhill after they were caught with their lips connected and bodies intertwined. And they're together. Her first love and the love of her life… _ together _. She felt like she was going to be sick.

Toni broke away from Heather's embrace and used both of her hands to lightly shove against the redhead's shoulders, causing Cheryl to stumble backwards against the wall more out of shock than force. "In case I haven't made myself clear, waif, when I said you can't talk to me without permission that went for my girlfriend too. Talk to her again, and I'll ensure the rest of your time at Riverdale High is torturous. I'm not sure why you've decided to make a pest of yourself all of a sudden when you've managed to fly under the radar, but let me assure you it was the wrong choice. So if you want to stay breathing, stay clear." She gave Cheryl another slight push against either shoulder before backing away and taking Heather's hand in hers. They walked away without glancing back at the trembling redhead.

The redhead looked around, noticing she had an audience. Without a second thought, she ran from the cafeteria, not stopping until she reached the girl's bathroom. Once inside, Cheryl collapsed onto the floor. She could feel the imminent panic attack was at a loss on how to combat it now that her anchor was the cause.

"Cher?" Jughead asked through the ajar door. "Um, can I come in there?"

"It-it's j-just m-me," she answered through sobs.

He opened the door and ran to her, kneeling on the ground next to her. "Breathe, alright?"

She nodded hastily. "Y-you s-saw?"

Jughead didn't answer; instead he pulled her into an embrace.

_ Of course he saw. Everyone had. _

"Why don't we get you home?"

"B-but there's st-still ha-half the d-day l-left," she stuttered. Every word leaving her mouth felt like a challenge. Her anxiety was taking over despite how hard she struggled to keep it together.

"I'll get some Serpents to collect our assignments, alright? Let's get you out of here."

Cheryl allowed him to help her off the ground and out to the car. She didn't say anything the whole way back to Sunnyside. Her head laid against the window as she watched the streets of Riverdale pass by as tears silently streamed down her face.

Things were worse than she could have possibly imagined. Not only was she trapped in _ another _reality without her brother, but in this one, she was without Toni as well. She needed to wake up soon, but Cheryl had no idea how… if it was even possible. For all she knew, she could be trapped in this hell forever.


	4. Chapter 4

The morning after Cheryl's encounter with Toni, she had to drag herself out of bed, dreading seeing her… she didn't know what to call her. Could she even still consider Toni her girlfriend? No, this Toni wasn't her girlfriend. She wasn't even her friend.

Cheryl desperately wanted _ her _ Toni back. She wanted her life back. All she wanted to do was to open her eyes and be back in Thistlehouse with her pink haired, gang leader girlfriend curled up against her. Unfortunately, instead she had awoken to the same dingy trailer in which she had fallen asleep.

She dressed modestly, very unlike herself, but given the circumstances she couldn't bring herself to care. Cheryl grabbed one of the less obnoxious band t-shirts and a flannel from the closet, tossed them on the bed, and went to clean up in the bathroom.

With a heavy sigh, she prepared herself for the day ahead. Ideally, Cheryl wanted to crawl back into the bed and sleep until the universe deemed it time to send her home, but she opted to power through in case of the unfortunate event of her nightmare being permanent. If she was going to be stuck in this hell, she would do what it took to finish school and get out of the Southside. There was one thing she was certain of in any reality, the Southside was _ no _ place for a Blossom.

"Cher? You ready?" Jughead called from the other room. She assumed this was going to be a daily occurrence, being picked up by the hobo.

"Coming," she yelled back begrudgingly before making her way out of the bedroom.

He looked up from his phone as the floor of the trailer creaked under her feet. "Hey, there's the Cher I remember… well mostly. Your face is still weird."

Cheryl looked nothing like herself. She wore a loose fitting Nirvana concert tee, an unbuttoned blue flannel, faded jeans, and black Doc Martens.

"I don't care. It's not like I'm trying to impress anyone... Can we just go?"

She did her best to stay invisible, but her attempt proved futile. More than once Cheryl found herself being shoved into the lockers by one of the Bulldogs. The first time it happened she had looked up to see Chuck and Reggie high fiving as continued walking down the hall.

The incident with Toni and Heather in the cafeteria had inadvertently put a target on her back, and with her noticeable red hair it was hard to avoid the backlash. Jughead had attempted to stick by her as much as he could. He offered to have one of the Serpents escort her to class when he wasn't able, but she adamantly refused, not wanting to appear weaker than everyone already saw her.

For the most part, Cheryl was able to avoid Toni. They shared one period, English. It wasn't a class she had the day before, due to the school's block schedule. As soon as she saw her, the redhead ducked her head and retreated to the back of the room to find a desk in the last row.

The redhead couldn't help but stare longingly at the back of the girl's head. Cheryl wondered what had gone so wrong in this world to turn her into such a hideous person. It seemed Toni was just as far from the pink haired girl she had grown to love as Cheryl was from the HBIC.

"Good afternoon, class," a blonde woman of average height walked into the room. She appeared to be in her late 20s or early 30s and wore black frame glasses. "I hope you all are having a great Tuesday."

_ Hardly. _

"Has everyone finished reading Act III?"

Cheryl looked around to see the room nodding in response. She hoped whatever they had been studying was something she had read already. Every other class had been easy, and even in a counterfeit world, she wanted, no _ needed _, to succeed academically. Even if she had no control over anything else, she would be damned if she didn't maintain control over that.

"Perfect. I'd like to continue our discussion from yesterday."

Reggie's hand shot up and didn't bother waiting to be called on before speaking, "This book makes no sense. The one girl is in love with an ass, and everyone is all of a sudden with the wrong people? Why did anyone like this?"

_ A Midsummer Night's dream. Of course an oaf like Reggie wouldn't appreciate the works of William Shakespeare. _

"First off it's a _ play _, nimrod," Toni scoffed from the front row, "and it's supposed to be nonsensical."

Cheryl bit back a smile and couldn't help but feel a surge of pride at the way Toni shut down the boy.

"Toni is right," the teacher addressed. "Puck has completely altered their reality. No one is with who they are supposed to be. Friends are enemies. It's chaos."

_ Of course she's right. Reggie is an idiot. _

"Miss Rollins," Midge spoke softly, her hand in the air. Once she had the woman's attention she continued, "I don't understand the point of what Shakespeare was trying to do. Why change everything just to put it back to normal once the characters went back to sleep?"

_ You know this. Answer the question. Maybe it will impress her. _

"The potion Puck used was meant to show unpredictable love can be but also demonstrate its power," Cheryl began. "When the characters were with the wrong people everything about the story felt wrong. The play is trying to show how while love brings happiness, it can also bring misery and unrest. No one is happy while under the influence of the flower. Helena and Hermia even become enemies despite being best friends. So, while everything does eventually go back to the way it's supposed to be, we are meant to learn the many facets of love during the time when it isn't."

"Very well put, Cheryl," Miss Rollins addressed her. "Speak up more in class. You clearly have some good ideas."

"Thank you," she answered, her gaze shifting from the teacher to Toni. The blonde's eyes were fixated on her, focusing through squinted lids. Cheryl smiled at her, causing Toni to turn around with a huff, once again looking to the front of the room.

The redhead wasn't clear what to make of Toni's reaction, but due to an insult not being used, as had been the case with Reggie, she considered it a win. An inkling of hope that maybe there was more to the blonde in this universe than apparent at first glance.

The discussion carried on for the remaining class time, ending with Miss Rollins reminding them to begin reading Act IV for homework if they hadn't already. Cheryl collected her things and exited the room. The second she was in the hall, she felt herself being shoved into the lockers once again.

"Who knew the Southside emo was also a nerd," Reggie laughed. He put his hand on the door next to her, essentially pinning her between him and the lockers. "Don't think you're better than us. You're a freak, and knowing some crap about a dumb play isn't gonna change that."

"Back off, Reg," Archie said as he pulled him away from her and stumbling backwards. "You harass girls now?"

"Southside scum has no gender, Andrews. I'm an equal opportunity enforcer, and I like to consider myself a feminist," he explained.

Cheryl rolled her eyes at his absurd claim.

"Got something to say there?" Reggie glared at her, clearly noticing her emote.

"I said back off," Archie reiterated, putting himself between his teammate and Cheryl.

"Fuck, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you actually gave a shit," the raven haired boy laughed. "Waste of time anyways. I've got to get to Chem."

Once he had left, Archie turned to her, "You alright?"

She nodded, "You're a knight in shining armor in any reality, Archie Andrews."

"Thanks, I think," he responded, perplexed.

"Cher, you alright?" Jughead came rushing down the hall. "Reggie Mantle attacked you again?"

"Again? This has happened before?" Archie asked.

The beanie wearing boy clenched his jaw and took a deep breath. "Doesn't concern you, Archie. I've got it handled."

"Yeah, because you handled it so well when he had her pinned to the lockers, and I had to pull him off," he rebuked.

"The fuck do you want? A medal?"

The ginger haired boy's demeanor changed, calming himself upon realization at who he was currently arguing with. He never wanted this to happen, "Jug… I just want to talk, but you won't ever give me the chance."

"You're right, so kindly piss off. I've got this," Jughead fumed, refusing to turn to look at his former friend.

"If that's what you want, man. Catch you around, Cheryl." He gave her a smile, adjusted the strap of his bag, and took off down the hall.

"He was only trying to help me."

"We don't need his help," Jughead explained. "We don't need help from any of them. You and me remember? Can't trust a Northsider for anything. If the damn golden boy isn't loyal, there's no hope for the rest of them."

She looked down the hall to see Toni pulling books from her locker and couldn't help but wonder how true Jughead's words were. Cheryl was once just like them, hating everything having to do with the Southside. She had changed; even the Reggie she knew had changed. Somehow, in this reality the two opposing sides had never found common ground. Without Archie and Jughead fighting to bring the North and South sides together, they remained as much at odds as the day the schools first merged.

* * *

It became routine after a few days. She'd get up, throw on whatever looked clean, and go to school as a social pariah. Cheryl would be thrown into lockers, mocked, and called scum multiple times a day. Part of her wondered if it was karma, the universe finally getting her back for the prejudice she had once embodied herself. Every day had been a constant struggle, and by the time Friday afternoon arrived she was exhausted, mentally and physically.

"You were quiet the whole ride home," Jughead observed as they exited the car and walked to her trailer door. "You sure you're doing okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just thinking." She leaned against the door and pursed her lips.

Jughead jumped up to sit on a the railing. He tilted his head to the side, "Bout what?"

"Everything."

"Very specific, Blossom," the boy responded with smirk.

"Things are just _ so _ messed up." Cheryl ran her hand through her hair and sighed. "This isn't what high school was supposed to be like. I wasn't supposed to be bullied or shoved into lockers. I was meant to _ run _ that place, but it's really hard to be the head bitch in charge when you're not in charge of anything."

"Hard to picture you leading anything, Cher," he chaffed. "What are you gonna tell me next? This fantasy of yours involves cheerleading?"

"I'm sure I could reveal things that would confound you."

"Does Cheryl Blossom have secrets?" He looked at her with mock offense. "And you're keeping them from _ me _. Why, I think I'm offended at this utter disregard of the best friend handbook."

She looked upon him inquisitively, "There's a handbook?"

"Yeah, we wrote it when we were six." The pair laughed at his reveal. Cheryl wasn't sure if he was making it up for the sake of the joke or if her childhood self had actually created such a thing with the boy in front of her; either way, she thought the idea absurd but strangely heartwarming. "Yeah, the five of us, remember? You, me, Jaso-" He stopped himself once he realized what he had said.

Cheryl's face fell at the mention of his name. She tried her best to put on a fake smile, but it wasn't convincing.

Jughead looked at her sympathetically, inwardly kicking himself for his mistake. "Sorry, I know you don't really like to talk about him."

"It's fine, really," she assured. While Jughead bringing up her brother had caught her off guard, she had never been one to shy away from discussing him. Cheryl viewed talking about Jason as a way to honor his memory, but her other self seemed to have a different means of coping.

"Still, you alright?"

"I miss him every day, but I'm at a place where I can talk about him."

"Well you know I'm always here to talk," he reached over to her with his foot and tapped her thigh.

Chery rolled her eyes at the gesture. "Lord only knows where those shoes have been, and you put them on my pants?"

"Oh like you haven't done worse," he jabbed.

"I guess that's part of living on this side of the tracks though isn't it? Existing amongst the filth," she reflected.

Jughead scoffed, "Way to call me filth."

The redhead simply shrugged in response. "When's the last time you washed that beanie?"

He narrowed his gaze and loudly exhaled through his nose, "Point taken."

"This life…" she shook her head in exasperation. "I'm living on the Southside in a trailer. I barely have hot water. I drive _ that _ sorry excuse for a car. Everyone at school hates me, and not in a they fear me kind of way. I would think with everything the universe has thrown at me, the _ least _it could do would allow me a life with Jason, but all I have of my dear brother are a few polaroids hanging above my bed," Cheryl lamented. "Fate truly is a cruel mistress."

"But don't you have all of his stuff? In that safe right?"

"Right, of course," Cheryl replied, trying to play it off as forgetfulness. "I wasn't thinking."

"Cher, you sure you're okay?" he asked again, his concern growing every time she seemingly forgot some bit of key information about herself.

"I'll be fine. I've had years of practice," she responded emotionally before pursing her lips.

"Call if you need anything? I have Serpent stuff this weekend, but you know I'll always make time for my best gal."

"I do. You're actually a really good friend. Thanks, Jughead."

"_ Actually _ a really good friend? I'm going to pretend to not be offended," he smirked.

"Probably for the best," Cheryl replied with a small but genuine smile. "I'll see you later, Jones."

He rolled his eyes and laughed. "See ya later, weirdo." The boy turned and hopped from his seat onto the grass below.

Cheryl watched him walk away a few steps before turning to unlock the trailer door. Once inside, she rushed to her bedroom, going directly to the closet and dropping to her knees in front of the safe.

"Combination… think, Cheryl," she told herself aloud. The redhead tried their birthday again, but once again, the lock failed to open.

_ What else could it be? I'm going to have to bust this thing open with a jackhammer. _

"Hey, Goose."

Cheryl looked to see her uncle standing in the doorway.

"I'm gonna go see Mom. Thought maybe you'd want to tag along?"

"Nana Rose?"

"Since when have you ever called your Grandma that?" he asked with a chuckle. "But ya, leaving in ten. I already picked up some flowers."

* * *

Cheryl wasn't prepared for where they were going. She sat in Claude's truck, staring out the window at the passing buildings, as her uncle blasted Jethro Tull through the speakers. As someone who appreciated the beauty of classical music, she scoffed at hearing the flute abused in such a way, but her uncle seemed to be enjoying the music echoing through the cab.

He reached forward to the dash and adjusted the volume, turning it so low it was barely audible. She took this as a sign they had reached their destination. Cheryl looked around, expecting to see some sort of retirement center, but her heart dropped when she noticed the sign engraving on the stone archway the drove under.

**Sweetwater Memorial Gardens**

_ No… Not you too, Nana. _

Claude killed the engine and reached into the backseat to grab the assorted flowers he had brought. He handed the second bundle to Cheryl, and suddenly, it made sense to her why he had purchased not one, but two bouquets of flowers. One was for her Nana, the other for her brother.

She wordlessly exited the car and followed him through the rows of gravestones. When they reached the marker reading "Rosanne Blossom," he stopped and sniffled back tears. Claude laid the flowers down at the base of the headstone and stood in silence.

Cheryl stood behind him awkwardly. Emotions swirled inside her, having just found out her grandmother had long passed. Stupidly, she had assumed they would be visiting her living, breathing Nana, but clearly she had forgotten just how cruel this version of reality could be.

After several minutes, the man cleared his throat, and turned to his niece. "I'll give you two some privacy," he said nodding to his left. "Meet me at the truck when you're ready."

Her gaze followed the direction he had indicated, fully knowing what was waiting for her.

_ Jason _.

She walked down the path, her eyes glancing over the various names as she passed. Six down from her Nana, Cheryl found him. She looked down at the smooth granite headstone marking where her brother had been buried and exhaled with jagged breath.

**Jason Blossom** **  
** **November 25, 2001 - September 06, 2013** **  
** **Forever young, forever in our hearts**

"Hi, Jason," Cheryl knelt down onto the hard ground. "I wasn't expecting to see you today. I would have dressed nicer. You aren't used to seeing me like this," she laughed to herself, "or maybe you are. This you wouldn't be used to the designer clothes we used to wear, would you?"

She read the inscription on the marker again, "Forever young… so true in any reality, dear brother. You were the best of us and deserved so much more. You were only 11… wait." Cheryl's eyes focused on the birth date, "No, that's not right. Our birthday is the 14th not the 25th. How could we have different birthdays?"

The redhead looked over her shoulder to see Claude leaning up against his truck smoking a cigarette. Nothing was the same, not even her own birthday. Her uncle was so different from the Claudius she had known, and there was no telling how different Jason had been in this world.

"I wish I had a chance to meet this version of you," she said as she returned her attention to the headstone. "Of course you had to be dead here too. This really is my own personal hell isn't it? Oh, JJ, everything is so different. You never even made it to high school, but the you I know was the captain of the football team. Juniper and Dagwood don't even exist here, do they? They are your children, Jason. You and Polly Cooper had twins. They are the most adorable little ones you've ever seen. Daggie, looks _ just _ like you."

The redhead fell backwards onto her butt and readjusted, pulling her legs to her chest. She wrapped her arms around them and rested her chin on her knees. "Apparently I'm best friends with Jughead Jones. We drive to school together every day, and he buys me weed. This really is the Upside Down. It seems I have no other friends… At home… _ my _ home… I…" Cheryl's breath caught in her throat and tears began to sting her eyes. "I didn't have many friends there either, but at least I wasn't alone."

"I'm not sure if this you knew or not, but I'm a lesbian. Maybe our hideous parents weren't homophobic here, but based on the little I've learned about them, it wouldn't surprise me. I came out about two years ago," she bit down on her lower lip to suppress a smile at the memory. "I met someone, the most amazing someone. You would love her, Jason. You would love _ my _ version of her. Here she's… she's n-nothing like herself."

She sniffed back her tears and turned her attention to the sky, hoping gravity would force her tears back. "I can't do this, JJ. I don't have you… I don't have Toni. I haven't felt s-so a-alone in s-such a long t-time. I'm t-trying to p-put up a m-mask to h-hide behind, but I-I'm not as g-good at it as I u-used to b-be."

"Cheryl?" Claude's voice asked hesitantly, and she felt a gentle hand cup her shoulder. "You alright?"

Violently, she shook her head back and forth as she buried her face into her legs and began to sob desperately. "I j-just want to g-go h-home," she cried out. "I w-want t-to go h-home."

"Come on," he helped her up and wrapped his arms around her. "Let's get you home." To him, home meant back to the trailer. He had no idea the home Cheryl yearned for was worlds away.

* * *

Cheryl found herself laying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Her eyes followed the blades of the fan going around and around. Her mind raced, taking in the new information she had gotten in the last few hours.

Nana Rose had died in a senior living center while Jason and Cheryl were in kindergarten. If it hadn't been for Claude using his life savings to pay for her care, she wouldn't have survived as long as she had. There was no money for a home nurse, and her parents hadn't been concerned enough to care for her themselves or even help her uncle with the costs.

Somehow even her birthday was different. She had been born almost two weeks after the birthday she had known for 18 years. Cheryl was able to vaguely recall something about her mother scheduling their delivery but had no way to check for sure.

"Oh my God," Cheryl exclaimed as she shot up in bed. "I've been using the wrong birthday."

She looked to the closet before jumping from the bed and rushing to the safe. "11-25-01," the redhead said aloud as she entered the numbers. A subtle click could be heard and she was able to swing the door open.

Cheryl began pulling out the contents. The first thing she grabbed was a youth size leather jacket. On its back was a spray painted serpent. It appeared as if a hand cut stencil had been used to create the shape. She laughed at the absurdity of it. Her brother had apparently idealized the Serpents, a far cry from the hatred of the Southside she had grown up knowing.

After placing the jacket reverently to the side, she continued looking through the opened safe. She withdrew a stack of papers. Upon inspection, Cheryl could see they were newspaper clippings, each headline pointing to the same event. Hesitantly, she began to read, assuming the article would shed some light on the circumstances of her brothers death.

_ On the afternoon of September 6th an explosion took place within Sunnyside Trailer Park. Sources at the Riverdale Police Department have revealed the event was caused by a chemical reaction within a homemade drug lab. _

_ Neighbors reported the event via a 911 call at approximately 3:00 pm after hearing the explosion and seeing the debris through their window. Several windows had been blown out of the trailer leaving glass covering the grass and walkway outside. _

_ One fatality has been reported, an eleven year old boy whose parents had been using the lab to manufacture methamphetamine. The couple has been taken into police custody on charges of drug manufacturing, possession with intent to distribute, child endangerment, and involuntary manslaughter. Their remaining child has been placed with relatives pending trial. _

A tear splashed on to the faded newspaper article in her hand. Cheryl quickly raised her hand to wipe away any more before they could fall. With a shaky breath, she exhaled. "Of course our hideous parents are responsible for your demise here as well, JJ."

She had found the missing piece of the puzzle explaining how she ended up living with her uncle. Her parents had once again caused the death of her brother, only this time with an explosion instead of a bullet to the head. They were now in jail, clearly found guilty on at least one of the charges brought against them.

Cheryl placed the articles back into the safe, not wanting to read anymore. She pulled the jacket to her chest and held it close, needing to feel a connection to _ something _ familiar. Even if this Jason hadn't been the one she knew, he was still her brother, and he had once again been stolen from her before his time by their own parents.

_ Maybe things aren't as different as they seem. _

If Archie still had a heart of gold and her parents were the cause of Jason's death, maybe there was a part of her Toni somewhere inside of the HBIC walking through the corridors of Riverdale High. Cheryl knew she shouldn't get her hopes up, if there's one thing this reality has shown her it's that things always end up worse than she could have fathomed. You know what they say about hope: it breeds eternal misery. Yet, against her better judgement, she allowed herself to hope, even if it was only the tiniest glimmer.


	5. Chapter 5

Cheryl groaned as she opened her eyes to reveal the pitch black of night still present in her cramped bedroom. She reached over and grabbed her phone, hit the unlock button, and was annoyed to see the time was 3:57 in the morning.

The redhead had tossed and turned almost the entire night. The weekend had flown by after visiting the cemetery, and in a few short hours she'd be forced to face another long day of school avoiding the people she once considered her friends.

She returned the phone to her nightstand and rolled onto her side, facing the wall. Just as the pull of sleep began to find her once more, loud voices could be heard arguing from outside. The trailer park was a far cry from Thistlehouse, where the closest house was miles away. Her nights were filled trying to drown out the sounds of motorcycle engines, trains passing by, and even the occasional gunshot.

It reminded her of the weeks she spent living with Toni after her girlfriend had rescued her from the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, but during that time she had the pink haired girl by her side constantly, protecting her. Now, Cheryl was alone. She would give anything to have those warm, loving arms wrapped around her right now, keeping her safe, while a certain raspy voice whispered in her ear to fall back asleep because they'd be damned to let anything happen to her again.

Tears pooled in her eyes as she reflected on the memory. She sniffled them back to no avail, as sobs soon took over her body. Cheryl laid in the dark room, pulled her pillow closer, and tried to imagine it was Toni she was clinging to rather than a lumpy discount store pillow.

* * *

At some point sleep did find her, because the next thing she knew her alarm was sounding, and it was time to get ready for school. Cheryl knew she must have passed out from crying, her body having given into the exhaustion.

Cheryl sat up, stretched, and aggressively rubbed her eyes, willing herself to wake up. As per her routine, she walked to the closet and selected a drab outfit for the day before tossing it on the bed and venturing into the bathroom to shower.

She reached behind the curtain to turn on the faucet, allowing the water time to warm up while she brushed her teeth. A few minutes later she stripped from her pajamas, stepped into the shower, and allowed the water to hit her bare skin.

"AHH!" Cheryl's scream filled the small trailer. While shower never got as hot as she liked, it was typically at least somewhat warm. Today, however, the redhead had been greeted with freezing cold water.

"Cheryl?! Are you ok in there?"

She jumped out of the shower, not even bothering to turn it off, and grabbed her towel. Cheryl's body shivered as she tightened the cotton around herself, hoping it would provide her some warmth.

Claude knocked on the bathroom door, "Are you alright? What's wrong?"

Cheryl opened the door to see her very concerned uncle standing before her, "Cold."

"Shit, the water heater go out again?" He pushed passed her and checked the water temperature before sighing and turning off the faucet. "Sorry, Goose. No money to get it fixed for a few days. Looks like it's cold showers for the rest of the week."

"Oh, absolutely not," she huffed, shaking her head.

"Don't know what to tell ya. Last repair cost almost $500, and the bank account is dry until payday."

"I can't shower in water that cold… it… I just can't okay?"

_ Don't think about it. Don't let your mind go there. _

She fought back memories of the last time she was engulfed in cold water. It was the reason most of her showers bordered on scolding, even if that was not an option anymore. Cold water brought her back to a time she wished she could forget all together, and she wasn't about to willingly inflict that on herself.

"Maybe FP will let you use theirs?" Her uncle's voice pulled her out of her reverie.

Cheryl rolled her eyes, collected her clothes, and stopped back to her bedroom. Quickly, she threw her pajamas back on, put her clothes for the day in her backpack, and grabbed her shoes.

A short time later, she found herself standing in front of Jughead's door, pounding her fist against the door. She was a sight to behold. If anyone from her previous life could see her now. Cheryl Bombshell, hair wet and in disarray, dawning tattered pajamas, barefoot in the middle of Sunnyside Trailer Park.

The door opened, and a shirtless Jughead appeared with a toothbrush hanging from his mouth. "Cher, what the hell?"

"Our water heater's out. Can I shower here?"

He plucked the brush from his mouth before speaking again, "Shit, again? Yeah, uh, Dad's just about done in there, and then it's all yours."

"Thank you," the redhead replies before pursing her lips. She followed him into the trailer. Everything felt instantly familiar. It wasn't a place she had spent much time in, but she had been there enough to recognize it.

"Hey, Jug, you got twenty bucks your old man can borrow?" The elder Jones walked into the living room, fully dressed while towel drying his hair. "Oh, hey, Cheryl. Not used to seeing you so early in the morning. Everything alright?"

"Their water heater shot craps again," Jughead answered from the kitchen as he turned off the faucet and tapped his toothbrush on the kitchen sink a few times to get rid of any excess water before sticking it behind his ear. "Yeah, I got you, Dad. Cher, shower's all yours."

She nodded thank you before walking down the hall in the direction FP had entered from. Cheryl gave him a smile and a nod as she passed before ducking into the bathroom.

* * *

"Thanks again for this morning," Cheryl said for the sixth time as she fastened her seatbelt.

Jughead scoffed, "Quit thanking me. You'd've done it for me." He backed out of the space and turned towards the entrance of the trailer park. "Honestly, the way that thing goes out I'm surprised you haven't asked sooner."

"I can't keep living like this. It's one nightmare on top of another. I _ refuse _ to give up my hot water too on top of everything else," she lamented.

"Short of winning the lottery not sure what choice you have in the matter." He tossed her his phone as he turned out of the trailer park. "Pick something this silence is killing me."

Cheryl quirked an eyebrow, "What happened to that 'driver picks the music' rule you were reminding me of all last week?"

"Yeah, well," Jughead shrugged. "I'm not the one who got doused with well water this morning. Figured you deserved this _ rare _privilege."

"Consider me honored," she said in mock humility. "God, your playlists are atrocious."

Jughead turned his head and gave her a good questioning look. "Cher, you love half those bands. _ You're _ the one who dragged _ me _ to those music festivals in the first place. Remember?"

"Oh… I'm… right, sorry. Haven't had any caffeine this morning."

_ Please don't push this. _

"Since when does coffee change a person's entire personality?"

"Pretty sure the answer to that is always." She sighed, "On that note I would kill for a triple cherry mocha with extra foam."

"A what with what? Since when do you order those Northsider foo foo drinks?"

"Just because I don't have money doesn't mean I don't have taste, Jones," she snapped. "Okay, found something that won't cause my eardrums to scream for mercy." Cheryl hit the phone with her thumb, and Hard Times by Paramore played through the speakers.

_ Hard Times indeed. _

"Hey, Jughead," she said a few songs later as they were getting closer to the school.

"Hm?"

"If I come up with a plan to help fund a replacement water heater could I count on your assistance?"

"What's going on in that head of yours, Blossom?" he asked, his voice skeptical.

"Just… thinking," Cheryl responded. She continued to look out the wonder, her eyes watching the upscale houses go by as they continued the drive.

* * *

They arrived at Riverdale High a short time later, and Jughead pulled into an open space. Cheryl opened the door, exited the car, and threw her bag over her shoulder.

"You going to be alright today, Cher?" Jughead asked as he closed the driver's side door.

The redhead rolled her eyes, "Yes. Just going to keep my head down and -" She felt herself being harshly thrust into the side of the car and looked up to see Reggie walking past.

"What's your problem, Reggie?" Jughead called after him.

The football player stopped, turned around, and flashed a shit eating grin. "Sorry, didn't see your little friend there. My bad."

"Like hell!"

Reggie's eyes narrowed towards Jughead, "I'd watch yourself, Jones, or maybe we'll open season on beanie wearing freaks next."

Jughead looked to his side and smirked before turning his attention back to Reggie. "You're forgetting something very important."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"No Serpent stands alone."

From behind a pickup truck a group of leather wearing boys emerged, led by Sweet Pea. They each had switchblades drawn as they created flanked the football player.

"Not so intimidating now, are you, Mantle? If I were you, I'd get lost, before my boys here do something stupid," he taunted.

Reggie huffed before turning and walking away.

"You guys alright?" Sweet Pea asked.

"Thanks, Sweets," Jughead smiled. "Appreciate the backup. I got it from here."

The taller boy nodded before walking off with the rest of the boys, leaving Jughead and Cheryl alone once more.

"Cher? Are you okay?"

Cheryl leaned against the car. Her eyes were watery, but she was too stubborn to let them fall. Enough tears had already been shed, and she'd be damned to cry again because of an oaf like Reggie Mantle. "F-fine." She lifted her hands and wiped her eyes before standing as straight as she could. "Let's just get to class."

As she stepped away from the car a matte black Tesla Model X came zooming past. She took a step back out of shock, thankful the vehicle didn't hit her. It pulled into a parking space before the door opened. Cheryl watched closely, curious to who nearly just ran her over, and gasped when she saw who climbed out.

"Fucking Topaz," Jughead scoffed. "Just because she has money, she thinks the rules don't apply to her."

"T-that's _ Toni's _ car?"

"Watch where you're going!" Jughead yelled. "Almost fucking hit us!"

Toni turned her head, and for a brief moment Cheryl swore she looked concerned. The expression faded as quickly as it appeared; however, and she scoffed before closing the door and walking towards the entrance without saying a word.

* * *

The day moved slowly. Every class seemed to drag. By the time lunch hour arrived, Cheryl was already exhausted both mentally and physically. The lack of sleep didn't do much to help.

Cheryl watched from a distance as Toni, Heather, Midge, Tina, and Ginger sat at one of the outdoor lunch tables, laughing and conversing. A group of Bulldogs walked over to them to join. She saw Moose place a kiss on Midge's cheek before taking a seat next to her and stealing one of her fries.

A smile crossed her lips as she watched the intimate moment between them. Clearly there had been no Black Hood attacks inflicted on the town. She was safe and happy and alive. Moose hadn't been kidnapped by his father and forced to move to a different town. She couldn't help but wonder if he was still in the bisexual closet but hoped he was living his truth. The smile across his face as he threw his arm around Midge gave the impression he was genuinely happy, but Cheryl knew first hand how easy happiness is to fake. Still, it warmed her heart seeing the two of them together since the last time that happened was before Midge's young life had been stolen from her.

Cheryl sighed and turned her attention back to Toni, reflecting on their brief encounter that morning. Toni had arrived to school in at least an $80,000 car. Her girlfriend wasn't only rich here, she seemed to be excessively so, or at least as rich as Cheryl had been. It appeared the girl here was a far cry from the Toni Topaz she knew who had grown up poor, no real possessions to her name except for the motorcycle that had once been her father's. She barely could afford a meal at Pop's because every dollar she made went to supporting herself. Her Toni had to struggle to survive, while this Toni drove around in fancy sports cars and seemingly ruled the school.

This world was cruel to Cheryl, dumping her in the Southside with nothing, not even a functioning water heater, it seemed to have done the opposite to Toni. Whatever changed in this reality caused them to switch lives, and Cheryl couldn't help but think that maybe Toni was better off because of it. While she was suffering, at least the girl she loved appeared to have a perfect life… she just wished it was with her.

"Earth to Cheryl," Jughead said as he bumped against her shoulder. "Where's your head at?"

"Just thinking," she muttered, her eyes still focused on Toni's table as she talked animatedly with her friends.

"Don't let them get to you," he said. "They're a bunch of assholes. All Northsiders are."

"All Northsiders? You can't mean that," Cheryl replied as she turned to face him.

Jughead scoffed. "Sure I do. Fuck all of 'em," he said before taking a huge bite of his burger. "They don't know what it's like growing up on the Southside. We've worked for everything we have and they act like they're better than us? Most of them probably never worked a day in their stuck up lives."

"Maybe," she said absentmindedly, glancing back over at Toni. "People can change though right?"

_ I did. _

"Northsiders? Doubtful," he said as he continued to eat.

She finished her meal, threw her trash away, and walked back inside towards her locker.

"Well, well, well," Cheryl heard a voice behind her. "What do we have here boys?"

She turned around to see Reggie, a malicious grin upon his face. He was accompanied by Chuck and another Bulldog Cheryl didn't recognize.

"Looks like little miss Southside scum is all alone without her big bad Serpent protector," Reggie responded to Chuck, laughter on his lips.

"I'm just going to get my books," she told them, trying to seem as confident as possible. "If you'll excuse me, boys" Cheryl turned to leave when she felt a hand grip her shoulder and force her against the lockers.

"Not so fast," Reggie said. "It's rude to leave mid conversation. Don't you agree, Chuck?"

"Very rude," the boy responded. "Don't they teach manors on the Southside?"

Cheryl blinked and tried to control her breathing.

"What's going on here?"

She turned her head and let out an audible sigh of relief seeing Archie approaching, Betty at his side.

"Nothing to concern yourself with, Andrews," Reggie answered. "Chuck, Frankie, and I were just having a harmless conversation with uh…"

"Her name is Cheryl, Reggie," Archie growled through clenched teeth. "Now back off."

"Learn to have some fun, dude," Chuck said. "We'll share."

Archie pushed himself between Cheryl and the other boys. She felt a gentle hand take hers and looked to her side to see her cousin. Betty gave her hand a gentle squeeze before lightly pulling, prompting Cheryl to move towards her and out of harm's way.

"Are you okay?"

Cheryl nodded in response. "Thank you cou- um, Betty."

The blonde smiled weakly, "Of course."

"You alright, Cheryl?" Archie came running over.

Cheryl looked behind him to see the other boys walking off down the hall.

"Yes, thank you again, Archie. You shouldn't have to keep coming to my rescue," she said.

"More like those guys shouldn't keep getting in your face," Archie countered.

Betty gripped her hand again, "Archie is right. What they're doing. It's not right."

"I need to get going," Cheryl said, pulling her hand away. "Class is starting soon, and I need to get my books."

"You want us to go with you?" the blonde girl asked.

"No, you both have done enough. Thank you." Cheryl took off down the hallway to her locker once more. She hated feeling weak. She hated having Archie Andrews saving her every other day. She hated people like Reggie and Chuck tormenting her in the halls. She hated feeling _ scared _. Cheryl thought she was past living in fear after being emancipated from her mother, but ever since waking up in this world all she's been feeling is fear. Fear and loneliness. But if there was one thing she was good at it was hiding those emotions.

_ Don't let them see you break. _

* * *

"Those fucking assholes!" Jughead screamed into her bedroom after Cheryl finished recounting what happened to her after lunch. "And you swear you're okay?"

"I'm fine," she repeated for the countless time. "Honestly, Archie and Betty stopped them before anything could really happen."

"And of all the fucking people -" He clenched his fists and flopped down next to her on the bed. He ripped his beanie from his head and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "I'm going to kill those guys. I swear it, Cheryl."

"You aren't killing anyone," she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Reggie and Chuck are just troglodytes. Seemingly harmless buffoons hiding their lack of brain power behind muscle."

He glared at her with wide eyes, "It's the muscle part I'm worried about!"

The redhead waved her hand in the air, brushing him off.

"Have you thought anymore about joining the Serpents?"

"And why, pray tell, would I do that?"

"Because if you were a Serpent every one of those guys would have your back, not just me. I can't keep an eye on you twenty-four seven, and now those stupid bitches have a damn target on your back. Reggie and his goon squad aren't going to let up; you need backup. They need to know if they mess with you, they mess with all of us."

"I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Jones," she glared at him.

"Cher, I really wish you'd reconsider."

The redhead rolled her eyes and huffed, "Why, just so you can kick me out again?"

"Wait, huh?"

"Nevermind," Cheryl began to stand from the bed when she felt his hand on her shoulder, urging her to stay.

"Explain. When would I have kicked you out of the Serpents? _ Why _ would I even do that? You're my best friend, and I'm basically _ begging _ you to join." He stared at her, eyes squinted, desperate for an explanation.

She sighed, "Okay, this is probably going to sound coo-coo pants-"

"Coo-coo pants?" Jughead asked, cutting her off mid thought. His expression was torn somewhere between mockery and disgust.

"Let me guess," Cheryl replied, running her hand through her hair, "that's not something I'd usually say?"

He scoffed, "That's something _ no one _ should say."

"Look, do you want to know or not?"

"Proceed, Blossom. I'm all ears," he answered with a smirk. "Just try to sound… I don't know… human when you talk."

"Whatever," she retorted while rolling her eyes.

"Just tell me. You've got my undivided attention."

The redhead paused, biting down on her bottom lip momentarily. "I… I'm not the Cheryl you know."

"What? Of course you are," he laughed off the claim. "Sure, you've been a little _ off _ lately, but I've known you since we were kids."

"No," she corrected. "That wasn't me. Until a week ago this wasn't my life."

"You're not making any sense."

Cheryl ran her hand through her hair and breathed out a puff of air. "Okay, here goes… Jughead, I grew up on the Northside. I was _ the _ Northsider: i.e. the HBIC of Riverdale High _ and _ head cheerleader. My brother didn't die in a meth lab explosion, he was murdered by my monster of a father who is thankfully dead too. Uncle Claudius was nearly as bad as he was, a stark contrast to the man you know."

Tears began to form, stinging her eyes desperately wanting to escape. She took a moment to compose herself before continuing. "And… and my girlfriend… I'm dating Toni Topaz. She's supposed to be with me, _ not _ Heather. Actually, Heather's not even supposed to be around anymore. Everything is fraudulent, a phony upside down faux Riverdale of utter horror."

He blinked at her, clearly dumbfounded. Jughead was unable to think of any words to say, so Cheryl took his silence for a cue to keep going.

"Even _ your _ life is different. Archie is supposed to be your best friend, not me. You and I are not even friends. We were on good terms at one point, but that was it. He never dated Betty. _ You're _with her. After almost four years it's almost unnerving to not see you together."

To her surprise, the boy burst out into hysterical laughter.

"Jughead?" When he continued to laugh she prompted him again, "Jughead, please say something."

"Damn. I should have been high for that," he reflected as he dug through his pockets to find a ziplock bag containing his ground up stash.

"I'm being serious."

Jughead grabbed Cheryl's glass pipe from her nightstand and began cleaning out the residue. "Oh, I know you are."

"So you don't think I'm crazy?"

Jughead pursed his lips and scrunched his brow. "I mean… it does sound crazy, _ real _ crazy, but you're you, and the Cheryl I know wouldn't make something like that up… or use some of those vocabulary words." He finished packing the pipe with his weed and offered it to Cheryl, "Here, you get us going."

She gave him a shy smile in response, "Does that mean you believe me?"

"I'm not sure what I believe, but your version of reality sounds a lot more appealing than this one if I'm being honest. You're rich, I'm still friends with Archie, _ and _I'm going out with Betty?"

"We aren't friends there," Cheryl reminded him. She took a hit from the pipe before passing it back to the boy.

Jughead raised the glass to his mouth, lit the bowl, and inhaled deeply before coughing. "Which you are tasked with correcting once we get you back home," he breathed out, smoke still exiting his lungs.

The redhead's eyes widened, "So you're going to help me?"

He shrugged. "What kind of person would I be if I let my best friend be trapped in a life she didn't belong in?"

"An awful one really," she laughed. "You know, Jughead, if you were like this all the time, I wouldn't hate you."

"Okay, hurtful," he scoffed as he handed Cheryl the pipe. "My lesser half just didn't have the benefit of growing up with you by his side. He's at an incredible disadvantage. Cut him some slack."

Cheryl rolled her eyes, "Fine. Slack will be cut _ if _ you help me get back home."

"Then we better get to work."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes:**

I will be changing my username on here at some point in the near future so heads up for that!

Follow me on Twitter cappuchoni

* * *

"Wait, you want to do _what_?" Jughead was baffled. He couldn't believe any version of Cheryl would propose such an outlandish idea.

The redhead scoffed, "Did the lice from that beanie crawl into your ears and distort your hearing?"

"Oh. Well that wasn't hurtful at all, Cher."

She rolled her eyes, "Whatever. Are you in or not?"

"You're wanting to rob Northsiders? Sorry for not immediately jumping on board with this harebrained scheme."

"It's not like I haven't done it before. Plus, if we are smart about this we will only need to break in to _one_ Northside house, and I happen to know exactly which one," Cheryl replied smugly.

"That makes it better," he huffed.

"Do you want to hear the plan or not?"

Jughead shook his head and exhaled deeply through his nose. "Fine, let's hear it. What do you have in mind, Blossom?"

"We're breaking into Thornhill."

"And what the hell is a Thornhill?"

"Of course it wouldn't be called that." Cheryl sighed and ran her hand through her red hair. "Why would it be? It was probably named that by the Blossoms, and here we are… well," she motioned around the room and pursed her lips, "this."

"This isn't so bad. You've got your own room," he shrugged. "I sleep on the pullout in the living room."

"It's a _substantial _downgrade from the lifestyle I am accustomed to, let me assure you. I'm not trying to be rich. I'm simply trying to obtain enough capital to purchase a replacement hot water heater and a few comforts I'm currently forced to live without," Cheryl explained.

"By robbing your old house," he replied deadpan.

"What? It's not like I'm planning on burning it down again," she retorted, obviously annoyed at his reservations.

Jughead squinted and stared at her for a moment before speaking. "_Again_?"

"Trust me, Jughead, I'm full of surprises."

"Why do you do that?" he asked.

Cheryl tilted her head, clearly perplexed by his question, "Do what? Burn down houses? It was only the one."

"Circle back to that, but I was referring to the whole name thing. It occurred to me you've never called me Jug once. It's always Jughead or Jones with you. I mean, I'm thankful you haven't pulled out Forsythe on me; don't get me wrong."

She gave a weak smile, "I don't know. We never were really close enough for nicknames. Honestly, it's been a constant effort to not call you Hobo."

"Hobo?" Jughead laughed. "Is that what I am to you? Some sort of homeless vagrant?"

"In my defense, I'm pretty sure you were homeless for a while. I distinctly remember catching you sleeping in the janitor's closet one morning when I came in for an early Vixens practice."

"Early Vixens practice," he echoed. "The idea of _you_ as a cheerleader…"

"_Head_ cheerleader," Cheryl quickly corrected.

The boy rolled his eyes. "My mistake. I mean, I can see the sass, but where's the pep? Where's the energy? Aren't those requirements for cheerleading? You know… actually _having_ cheer?"

"You are really lucky you're my only friend here, Jones." The use of his last name caused Jughead to tilt his head and raise an eyebrow at her. "Right… Jug… I'll try, okay?"

"You said it yourself. We're friends, and we're in this together."

A smile grew upon Cheryl's lips, "So… does that mean you're in?"

"I want to be, Cher. Fuck, I don't want you doing this alone! What if something happens and I'm not there? But I can't go breaking into Northsider homes representing the Serpents. My dad would kill me if I brought heat down on us."

"So take off your Jacket?" She looked upon him in confusion, not understanding how the boy couldn't think of something so obvious, before she fully registered what he said. "Wait, you aren't the Serpent King? Your dad is still in charge?"

"Why the hell would I be in charge of the Serpents? I'm still in high school," he chortled. "You honestly think I'm qualified to lead a gang? What the hell kind of world are you from anyways?"

"One with hot water," she quipped.

Jughead sighed, "You're really going to do this?"

"I am."

"Then I guess I'm coming with you, but you better have a plan because if we get caught -'"

"We won't," she cut him off mid sentence. "I swear. I know the grounds like the back of my hand. JJ and I snuck in and out countless times in our youth."

"Fine," he conceded. "Let's break into Cornhill."

"_Thorn_hill," Cheryl corrected, her face screwed in disgust. "Why would a house be named after a vegetable?"

"Why would it be named after part of a plant?"

"Flowers are beautiful and their thorns are necessary to protect themselves from animals who wish to devour them," the redhead argued.

"Are we really arguing about _flowers_?" The pair broke out in laughter for a moment before Jughead asked, "So when are we doing this?"

"Tomorrow night, during the town meeting. Everyone should be there."

"But what if they aren't?"

"That's why you'll be the lookout," Cheryl explained. "You can keep watch in case anything diverts from the plan."

Jughead groaned, his expression grim, "I don't know, Cher. A lot of shit could go wrong."

"A lot of shit already _is_ wrong," she protested. "As far as I'm concerned, the world owes me this."

* * *

The next day seemed to move painstakingly slow for Cheryl. She woke up earlier than normal to use FP and Jughead's shower without putting a wrench in their morning with her intrusion. The pair had driven to school together, as had become routine, and went about the school day as usual.

To Cheryl's relief, she was able to avoid any drama. She used to thrive on chaos, and now she wished to be invisible. The redhead missed her life. She missed being able to do whatever she wanted whenever she wanted. Now, she had to worry about everything from being able to afford a meal at Pop's to being thrown into a locker by people like Reggie Mantle. That life was impossibly far away, but there were some things she could do to bring a sense of normalcy back to her existence.

It was that need that led Cheryl there, standing in front of her old home in the exact spot she did the night she watched it burn. The sight took her breath away, not from a sense of awe but from the haunted memories embedded in its walls.

"Cher, you ready?" Jughead asked, pulling her from her trance.

She turned to look at him, took a deep breath, and nodded. "There's a root cellar on the side of the house. Unless they closed it up, I can use that to access the kitchen. I don't think Mumsy even knew it was there."

Jughead followed her alongside the house's exterior. "Mumsy?"

"I grew up in an _interesting_ environment," Cheryl exhaled.

He laughed, "Was that environment some classic English novel?"

"I did my fair share of reading growing up, yes. Now, if you're done insulting my vocabulary…" she huffed. When they reached the corner of the house, Cheryl stopped. "From here you should be able to see the front door and down the hill to the gate. Stay here as a lookout, and text me if you see anything?"

"Right," Jughead pulled his phone out of his pocket, held it up, and nodded. "Be careful, okay?"

She gave him a smile and continued on alone. The root cellar door had a padlock, which caused Cheryl a moment's panic before she realized it was unlocked. She slid it out of the metal bracket and swung open the thick wooden door before descending the stairs down into the room. Nostalgia hit her instantly as she looks around the underground space. It looked just as she remembered.

Cheryl climbed the stairs to the kitchen and braced herself. She knew being back at Thornhill would not be a pleasant experience, but at least it would be worth it if she achieved her goal. The redhead turned the handle and opened the door to find a kitchen nothing like the one she remembered. It was bright and welcoming. Whoever lived here had an extremely difference sense of interior design than her family.

She ventured farther into the house and noticed a china cabinet in the hallway between the kitchen and dining room. Cheryl opened the bottom cabinets and selected a few pieces of serving silver. From the way they were stored she had a sense they were the real. She grabbed a few sets of utensils and threw the assortment into the backpack she had worn before making her way into the main part of the house.

Nothing was styled in a way recognizable to Cheryl. It felt homey and warm, a stark contrast to the home she knew growing up. Part of her wondered if she should be doing this. She could tell the people living here were far superior to the likes of Clifford and Penelope Blossom from lack of imminent doom she felt while walking through the halls.

_No, whoever they are they need this way less than I do, and I'm not even taking that much. They won't even miss these things. No one needs 24 sets of silverware. _

She went upstairs and found one of the bedrooms. A jewelry box sitting in the middle of the dresser caught her eye. Cheryl opened it to find an assortment of expensive looking adornments. Careful not to take too much, not wanting it to appear obvious the box had been looted, she picked out a few bracelets and three pairs of earrings before closing the lid.

Cheryl pulled open one of the drawers and saw rows of designer clutches and small handbags. She grabbed a burgundy Coach clutch and slid it into her own bag just as she heard the front door close.

_Why didn't he text me? Stupid hobo isn't good for anything in any reality._

She pulled her phone out of her pocket and was greeted with multiple notifications.

**Jughead [4:13pm]**: Someone's coming! Abort!

**Jughead [4:14pm]**: Get out of there Cheryl!

**4:14pm Missed Call Jughead (2)**

**Jughead [4:14pm]**: Shit they just parked

**4:15pm Missed Call Jughead (1)**

**Jughead [4:15pm]**: They're getting out of the car

**Jughead [4:16pm]**: Get out now!

_I left the fucking thing on silent? Stupid, Cheryl!_

"Come on, Jay, we're going to be late." The man's voice was raspy and carried through the house.

A feminine voice responded, "Sorry, I told Sierra I'd bring the contract with us."

Cheryl listened to the voices downstairs as panic continued to fill her. Of course nothing could ever go her way. She needed to get out of there in case one of them decided to come upstairs.

"Do we need to pick up the girls?" she heard the man ask who Cheryl assumed was his wife.

"No, they're meeting us there. Come on, you need to sign this too. It's in the kitchen."

_Okay kitchen's out. I need a backup plan __**fast**__._

Cheryl inched along the upstairs wall and peered down at the entry foyer. Upon seeing the coast was clear, she ran across the upstairs landing towards her old bedroom. She remembered vines growing up that side of the house and inwardly prayed they were still there. They could serve as an escape route for her to climb down.

The room was dark, but she didn't dare flip on a light switch with people in the house. She unlocked her phone and used the backlight for enough illumination to maneuver around. Cheryl ran to the window and unlocked it. Just before climbing out she noticed a ring box sitting on the end table against the wall. She opened it to reveal an ornate white gold band with diamonds and yellow gemstones. The singular item would fetch her a fair amount on its own.

_One more for the road._

Quickly, Cheryl shoved the box into her bag before returning to the task at hand. She climbed out onto the ledge, carefully pulling the panels closed behind her. Cheryl cautiously began descend down the vines, which were thankfully still there, and onto the paved ground below.

"_Cheryl_," she heard Jughead whisper with some force. The redhead turned to see him sneaking along the front of the house to meet up with her. "You scared the hell out of me! Why weren't you answering your phone?"

"It was on silent," she admitted.

He shook his head and squinted, "Unbelievable."

"I know, okay? I'm an idiot. Yell at me later; we need to get out of here _now_."

* * *

Jughead pulled up next to Southside Pawn and parked next to the curb in front of the building. The store tucked between a Cash Exchange and a 24/7 laundromat. It looked rundown, a red tin roof with dingy brick walls. Neon letters spelling out "PAWN SHOP" were displayed in the window behind metal bars, which covered every inch of glass.

Cheryl glanced down at the backpack in her lap, having a moment of clarity. "I shouldn't have done this."

"You think about this _now_?" Jughead stared at her, not believing she was having second thoughts _after_ the job was done. "So… what… you want to break _back_ in to that mansion and return everything?"

She took a deep breath and looked back towards the shop, "No. No, of course not. I did this for a reason, and I'm going to follow through with it."

"You sure?"

"Yes, absolutely. As a... _former_," the word burned in her throat, "Northsider, I can assure you they need this a lot less than we do. This money will fix the water heater and put some food in the refrigerator. They won't even miss it…"

"Stealing from the rich to give to the poor, which is _us _in this case, but still applies right? Like a modern day Robin Hood. Wait, would that make me Little John or Friar Tuck?" Jughead laughed to himself. When he realized he was laughing alone, he turned to Cheryl to see her face even paler than usual. "Cher?"

"Toni was the Robin Hood, at least that's what I called her," the redhead lamented. "I… I called her that right before she told me she loved me for the first time." Cheryl paused for a second and looked to Jughead with tears in her eyes before asking, "I know you don't know _my_ Toni, but do you… do you think she'd be proud of me?"

"You're taking care of yourself," he said, placing a comforting hand on her knee. "I think that's exactly what she'd want you to do."

"Thank you, Jughe- Jug," Cheryl corrected herself before giving him a weak smile and exiting the car. She closed the door behind her and turned around to speak to him through the open window, "You wait here. I'll be out in a minute."

Upon receiving a nod in response, Cheryl made her way into the shop. The walls were cluttered with various items for sale, shelves with movies and books, and glass covered counters displaying the more expensive merchandise. Her eyes scanned the room before falling upon a familiar looking person leaning against the far back counter, flipping through a magazine.

_Oh, you have __**got**_ _to be kidding me._

"Buying, selling, or pawning?" Peaches asked without looking up as she flipped another page over.

"Selling," Cheryl answered as she sat her backpack onto the counter and began emptying its contents.

The magazine was closed pushed aside as Peaches began examining the selection before her. "Damn this is some high quality merchandise. Don't see much like this on the Southside."

Cheryl rolled her eyes, "How much?"

"Well, you've got a ring, assorted bracelets, earrings," she continued listing off items as she sorted through them, "real silver, and a designer handbag. For everything here: $850."

"Excuse me?" Cheryl asked, "That ring _alone_ is worth five times as much!"

Peaches leaned against the back wall smugly, "And I'd bet none of this was obtained legally. Which means I'll need to let the heat cool off before I can sell it, and none of our usual customers are going to be buying this kind of stuff."

"Absolutely not," she reached for her bag to begin collecting the items. "I'll go to Greendale if I have to. I'm not letting _you_ of all people take advantage of me."

"Fine, stop, stop," Peaches prompted. "$1,500."

"$4,000," Cheryl countered, straightening her posture.

"$2,000."

"$3,000 and not one _penny_ lower," the redhead spat.

Peaches squinted and stared her down. Cheryl sensed the other girl was sizing her up, "Okay, Red, $3,000 _if_ at least 20% gets spent in store."

"$2,400 cash, $600 store credit? You have a deal."

The other girl sighed, "I'll get this written up. You get to shopping."

Cheryl scoffed and turned around. She leaned up against the glass counter top and let her eyes wander around the small store. Something in the far corner immediately caught her eye.

"Can I see the bow?"

Peaches looked up from her paperwork and followed Cheryl's gaze to the item in question. "Wouldn't take you for the outdoorsy type," she commented as she grabbed the bow, along with a matching quiver.

Cheryl took the bow in her hands to examine it. The quality was nowhere near the one she was used to, but it seemed sturdy and in good condition. The handle was metal with minimal scratching, the limbs were flexible, and the string seemed recently replaced.

"How much?"

"Two hundred for the set, including a set of twelve carbon arrows."

"I'll take it."

She perused around the shop while Peaches finished writing up the transaction. Cheryl eventually decided on a $450 laptop, since she would need one for school and had no way to access the archaic desktop computer in her room.

"I wasn't expecting you to buy shit in there," Jughead commented through the open window as Cheryl walked back to the car, purchases in hand.

The redhead rolled her eyes, "That bitch wouldn't give me what I deserved, but I haggled a fair price that happened to include a percentage being in store credit."

Jughead laughed, "Not a fan of the salesperson I take it then?"

"She was doing her job, but I have… prior… experience with her," Cheryl fumed.

"Oh?"

"Let's just say she has an _infatuation_ with Toni in my world, and I can't seem to get rid of her. Seriously, all the time, _there _she is," she explained in annoyance.

He raised his brow and gave an uncomfortable smile, "Well for what it's worth I don't think you have to worry about her being competition here. It's not like the princess is paying attention to some random Southsider." The redhead snapped her neck to the side and glared at him. "What did I say? I just said she wouldn't be paying attention to someone from the South- _oh_."

"Can we just go?" Cheryl huffed. "We still have to stop by the hardware store _and_ get groceries before they close."

Jughead wordlessly nodded, inwardly kicking himself for upsetting his friend. He pulled the car away from the curb and into traffic.

"Pull in here," Cheryl instructed as she noticed a corner pharmacy at the intersection.

"I thought you wanted to go to the hardware store?"

"I do," she answered, "but first I want to feel like _me_."

He pulled into the parking lot and stopped the car in front of the entrance for Cheryl to jump out. A few minutes later she returned with a small plastic bag in hand.

"Get what you needed?"

She reached into the bag and pulled out a small box. Cheryl opened it and slid out its contents: a tube of red lipstick. She uncapped it, flipped down the rear view mirror, and applied a coating of color to her lips. When finished, she returned the item to the bag and used the receipt to blot away the excess.

"So… lipstick?" He asked, amused.

Cheryl smirked, "My signature color."

"Well, looks good, Blossom," Jughead smiled, a ghost of a laugh on his lips. "Now, let's go get you some hot water, shall we?"

"We shall."

* * *

The sound of the trailer door being thrown shut alerted Cheryl that her uncle had arrived home from the meeting. She walked into the living room to see him shedding his jean jacket before tossing it onto the back of the couch.

"How was your evening?"

She smiled, "Oh, you know, same as always. I thought we could have dinner together?"

Claude huffed, "Not much to make unfortunately. Sorry again 'bout that. I'm trying to get the finances fixed."

"I think I saw something in the fridge we could make," Cheryl coaxed.

He laughed as he walked into the kitchen. "Unless you plan on cooking the box of baking powder I'm not sure wha-" As the refrigerator door opened, he was shocked to see it was completely stocked: fresh produce, a gallon of milk, lunch meat, orange juice, packages of steaks and chicken cutlets, and a carton of eggs. He swung open the freezer to see it was full as well with waffles, various bags of vegetables, pizzas, and a selection tv dinners. "Where'd all this food come from?"

Cheryl tried not to feel proud as she answered, "I bought it. I got us a new water heater too. FP installed it already." She walked over to the kitchen sink and turned on the faucet, "See? Hot water."

Claude scrunched his brow in confusion, "Goose… not that I'm not _extremely_ grateful, but uh… how'd you afford all this?"

"Oh…" Cheryl's confidence faltered, "I just sold some things."

He eyed her suspiciously, "I can't think of anything you'd have worth that much money."

"Uh-"

"Cheryl?"

"Jughead and I went to the pawn shop together. You can ask him," she deflected, hoping he wouldn't follow through with her suggestion.

He sighed, "You know I love Jughead, and I've got nothing but respect for the Serpents, but I'd be lying if I said they didn't get into some shady shit time to time."

"This had nothing to do with the Serpents," she interjected before he could say another thought. "I _swear_, Uncle."

Claude ran his hand through his salt and pepper hair, "I… whatever is going on… just promise me you're being careful?"

"Have you ever known me to be anything but?"

"Point," he chuckled. "Well, best not let all this good food go to waste." Claude opened up the refrigerator and pulled out the sirloins Cheryl had purchased. "I was going to heat us up some canned beans for dinner, but would be stupid to pass up steaks. Why don't you go get the grill started and I'll season these?"

"Of course, I happen to be an expert at starting fires."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes:**

Name has changed! It's still me... just with a more fitting username.

Follow me on Twitter - cappuchoni

* * *

It's not uncommon for people to have shields, things to protect them from the harshness of reality. Shields exist in countless forms, be they physical or metaphorical. Some would call theirs security blankets. Cheryl just called hers red, her signature color. To her red meant power. It meant security. It meant she was invincible.

She looked in the mirror of her small bathroom and smiled. A fresh coat of lipstick adorned her lips, and for the first time in almost two weeks _something _felt right.

Cheryl had gotten up extra early to enjoy a long, relaxing shower. She had wanted to take full advantage of the new hot water heater. Unlike her previous showers in the trailer, this one produced steam. Her muscles had basked in the intense heat, and her pores thanked her for the deep clean. The redhead had stepped out of the shower with a rejuvenated sense of confidence; perhaps things were _finally _looking her way.

Her fashion choices were still limited, but she made a note to buy some more new pieces after school let out for the day, things _worthy _of Cheryl Blossom.. or at least more acceptable when keeping in mind her constrained budget. She found a short sleeved, off-the-shoulder, black crop top. It accentuated her features, but she scoffed at the way it left her unwelcomed belly button ring visible. She paired the top with her best jeans and a pair of ankle boots she had found under the bed.

She wished there was more red, but for now, the lips were enough. Cheryl could finally see herself staring back at her, plus a few additional holes in her ears, but it was _her_.

"Looking good, Blossom," Jughead commented as she slid into the passenger seat of her car a short time later. Sometimes Cheryl forgot the vehicle was hers since she hadn't driven it once, not that she had any desire to. "That smile suits you."

She fastened her seatbelt and glanced over to him. "Feeling like myself for a change, and I'm done letting people push me around. I think it's time they see what a _real _HBIC looks like."

"Cher," he turned to her, concern across his face, "what are you planning?"

"I'm not planning anything."

"Just," he sighed, "promise you aren't going to do anything stupid?"

"Of course I'm not," she scoffed.

"Says the girl who just planned a B&E," Jughead reminded her as put the car in gear.

Cheryl rolled her eyes, "That was different."

"That was yesterday."

"I swear I'm not doing anything reckless, okay?" She sighed, "This is just me… remembering what's it's like to be me."

"And you being you is going to make Reggie and his goons give up on their mission to destroy you?"

"Reggie Mantle and Chuck Clayton do _not _scare me," Cheryl argued, knowing full well how scared she had been during their last confrontation.

_That wasn't you. You aren't weak. The real Cheryl Blossom doesn't take shit from anyone. _

"I worry about you, alright?"

"I'm fine," she said, looking at the road ahead. "Today will be different, better. Things are finally starting to look up for me."

* * *

"Come on, class, settle down." Mr. Fludsnüt, a slender man with stark white hair, attempted to control his class to no avail. His voice was surprisingly uplifting, contrasting the years apparent across his face.

Cheryl sat in the back of the room next to Sweet Pea, who was her lab partner for the semester. She stared ahead, waiting for the rest of the class to stop talking so they could start the day's lesson.

Their teacher made his way down the rows of tables, dropping off worksheet packets at each station. "We will be continuing our study of the Law of Constant Composition with a lab today. Anything on the supply list outside of the usual equipment can be found at the front of the room on my station."

The rest of the class had long since quieted and collected the necessary supplies, with the exception of the table in the far right corner of the room. Despite multiple requests from Mr. Fludsnüt, Veronica and Josie continued to laugh and carry on rather loudly. No one had even begun the lab yet, and the pair had already been scolded multiple times.

"Miss Lodge, please go exchange seats with Miss Blossom," he said, his voice strained in annoyance.

Veronica looked up from her conversation with Josie, "What? Why?"

"Because this is the third time today I've had to ask you to quiet down and focus on the assignment, not to mention the countless times before now. I think a new partner may help both of you actually pass this class."

"You can't be serious about this, Mr. F," Josie urged.

The man's face showed no waver, "I'm sorry Miss McCoy. My decision is final."

Cheryl exhaled in frustration as she gathered her belongings and made her way to the front of the class, avoiding eye contact with Veronica as she passed. She sat down next to Josie and reopened her notebook to her notes on constant composition before turning to her once friend nervously.

"I really hope you understand all this because I just lost my science whisperer," Josie said, only slightly joking.

The redhead nodded, "Yes we need to run the experiment on a sample of potassium chlorate to determine the mass percent of oxygen present."

"Oh you're _smart _smart then?"

"I have a 4.0," Cheryl answered confidently.

_Not entirely sure if that's true here, but it's not like I'm lying. _

"Okay, Miss 4.0, how do we start?"

"First, we have to weigh these," she picked up one of the crucibles. "Then we'll add the potassium chlorate."

"Sounds easy enough so far," Josie grabbed the electric scale and slid it over the tabletop, positioning it between them. "And I'm sorry, what was your name again? I don't think we've met."

"Cheryl," she smiled.

"Well, Cheryl, it's nice to meet you. I'm Josie, as in Josie and -"

"The Pussycats," the redhead interjected. "I've heard your music. You guys are great."

"Oh, so you've got brains _and _taste," Josie laughed. "Girl, I like you. Now... how much of this stuff do we need to add?"

It felt like old times to Cheryl. The pair made idle chit chat as they followed along with the handouts. Before long, they were completing their analysis and cleaning up their workstation.

Cheryl took the equipment to the store room and ran into Sweet Pea. He took the Bunsen burner from her hand and sat it on the high shelf with ease.

"I could have managed," she huffed.

"Accept the help," Sweet Pea laughed. "And not that I don't miss you or anything, but my new lab partner? She's _hot_. I mean she seems nice too, but have you _seen _her?"

"Oh my God," Cheryl laughed. "Yes, I've seen her. I'll… uh… I'll see you later."

She went back to her station and collected her belongings. Just as she was about to leave for her next class she heard her voice being called.

"Hey, Cheryl, wait up," Josie called.

She turned around to see Josie and Veronica walking towards her with haste.

"Um," Veronica started, "you should rethink that color."

"What?"

"Your lipstick," Josie explained. "You seem really nice, and wearing that _here _-"

"It's asking for trouble," Veronica finished.

"Okay," Cheryl laughed at the absurdity. She never had an issue wearing red before. Red was _her _color. "I appreciate the warning, but I'll be fine. Thank you."

She turned away from them and walked into the hall. Her next class was history, so she would need to pass by her locker, giving her an opportunity to drop off her chemistry notes and textbook.

Once her books were safely deposited in her locker, Cheryl closed the door and turned around. Toni was leaning up against her locker talking to Heather. She briefly made eye contact, and the shorter girl's eyes slightly widened as whatever she was saying was lost on her lips.

"What is it, babe?" Heather asked. She didn't give Toni time to respond before she was turning around to find out what had distracted her girlfriend. Heather's mouth went slack before her eyes narrowed in rage. "What the hell do you think you're wearing?"

"Clothes?" Cheryl responded with an eye roll.

"On your lips, you vermin!"

"Lipstick. I didn't realize your eyesight was so terrible, Heather," Cheryl scoffed, questioning how she ever fell for such a horrible person.

_Because at the time you were just like her. _

Suddenly, she was thrown back into the lockers, the wind knocked from her lungs. A moment later Cheryl realized she was stuck, pinned against the cool metal by Reggie Mantle.

"Get _off_," she spat.

Reggie laughed, "Oh this one has some fire in her all of a sudden."

Cheryl struggled against his grip. "Move," the redhead reiterated.

"Nah, don't think so."

Heather took a step forward, "I don't know what made you crawl out of your little flea infested shit hole, but I suggest you go back there. This is _my _school, and in my school the only person who gets to wear that color is me. Got it?"

"Oh you have _got _to be kidding me," Cheryl huffed only to be met with another shove from Reggie's arm.

"Miss Chase was speaking. It's rude to interrupt," he said threateningly.

"Look, _scum_," Heather continued, "red is my color. Within these walls I don't want to see it on your lips or your clothes, or the next time I do the only thing red you will be seeing is blood. It'll be yours if that wasn't clear." She gave Cheryl a smile. There was nothing happy about it. The emotion on the girl's face was sinister, a look of pure evil.

"Fuck you," Cheryl hissed as she continued to struggle against Reggie's hold on her. She looked at Heather with nothing but loathing.

Looking back, she could recall childhood tussles over who would be Miss Scarlet. Cheryl always won, of course. The Blossoms were known for red, everyone in town knew that. She was red by default, there was never any other option. She was born into it, but not only that, she made it her own. Damned anyone who tried to take that from her. Toni had tried to use it as a means to get her attention, and Cheryl nearly banished her from school over the color. Clearly she wasn't the only one with an affinity for red, and without her name and status she didn't have the usual means to claim it for herself.

It was in that moment she really took in Heather's appearance. She too dawned a bright red lip, one of professional grade makeup rather than what Cheryl picked up from the drugstore. The girl wore a designer red leather jacket which wrapped around her middle. Cheryl felt her hatred for the other girl intensify tenfold. She not only was able to call Toni hers, but now she wanted to claim the small ounce of self Cheryl managed to find in what she had deemed to be known as Riverhell.

Heather turned her attention away from Cheryl and began rifling through her purse. After a brief moment, the blonde pulled out a wad of Kleenex and held them up to Cheryl's face. "Either you can clean that off your face, or I will."

"You don't own the color red, Heather," Cheryl stood her ground, mirroring the words Toni had once used on her. She did her best to ignore the sting felt in her eyes as tears began to pool.

Heather leaned against Reggie, her arm resting on the shoulder not currently pinning Cheryl. "I'm rich. Which means, unlike _you_, I can own whatever I damn well please. If that means a color, then yeah... I _own _it."

Cheryl looked behind them, her eyes connecting with Toni's who stood frozen, emotionless. She silently begged the shorter girl to intervene, hoping the Toni she knew was somewhere inside the stoic girl before her. To her dismay, it didn't work. Toni continued to look upon the interaction without an ounce of concern across her face.

"Last chance," Heather reiterated. "No? Fine." She brought the tissues up to her mouth and spat onto them before moving her hand towards Cheryl's face. The redhead squirmed in Reggie's grasp, trying her best to get away. "Hold her still, Mantle!"

Damp Kleenex collided with her lips, causing Cheryl to gag. She couldn't believe she ever longed to kiss that girl, welcoming her saliva into her mouth. Now it was revolting. Was she ever so vile that she couldn't see Heather for what she was? Or was somehow Heather worse without ever knowing her. Cheryl knew it was the first, but didn't want it to be true.

"Well, it's not gone, but at least you look like the clown you are," Heather scoffed as she took a step back, admiring her work. "Let her go. I think I've made my point." She turned to Toni, "Don't you agree?"

"Of course, babe," Toni replied. "I think you made it loud and clear."

The second Reggie's grip on her loosened, Cheryl took off down the hall at a run, not allowing herself to cry until she was well out of view.

"Let's get to class. I don't want to stay here too long in case poverty turns out to be contagious," Heather laughed.

"Happy to be of service as always, ladies," Reggie replied, tipping an invisible hat before making his way down the hall in the opposite direction Cheryl had ran.

Toni straightened her bag, "You go ahead. I want to use the bathroom before class."

Heather ran her hand up and down Toni's arm, "Want me to walk with you?"

"Nah, I'm good. I'll see you at lunch." She smiled and leaned up slightly to press her lips to Heather's. "See ya later, babe."

* * *

Cheryl gripped the porcelain sink so tightly in her hands her knuckles appeared ghostly white. Her eyes were fixed on the mirror before her. Red lipstick smeared around her lips and down the right side of her face to her chin.

_Heather's right. I do look like a clown. _

All she wanted was a tiny part of herself back. Was that really so much to ask for? One minuscule amount of a Cheryl she recognized? The Cheryl looking back at her was the furthest thing from that. Bloodshot, puffy eyes. Reddened face. Makeup that belonged in a circus. Cheryl Blossom was a mess.

"What did I do to deserve this?" Her voice echoed in the empty bathroom as more tears cascaded down her cheeks. "W-why? Why m-me?"

She hunched over and allowed the sobs to take over her body. With each cry her muscles ached. Cheryl wondered how she could possibly have any tears left with how much she had been crying lately, yet there were always more.

The sound of the bathroom door opening startled her, but she couldn't be bothered to care. There was no point in caring about anything anymore. She had lost the one person who really loved her, and even worse, her own identity. What was she now? A nobody from the Southside and a victim of high school bullying. Cheryl had become the thing she once hated, and no matter how much she tried nothing was improving. She was no closer to getting home than the day she woke up in this nightmare.

She sniffled and slowly opened her eyes, blinking rapidly as she did due to having them squeezed shut for so long. Her eyes noticed something on the sink, something that wasn't there moments ago. Cheryl picked it up and examined the package, discovering it was a travel sized packet of makeup removing wipes. Confused, she looked around the room and noticed a short girl with bleached blonde hair ducking out of the bathroom, the door swinging shut behind her.

"Toni?"

An ounce of hope. It wasn't much, and Cheryl didn't even know for sure it was her. It could have been some other girl who just happened to witness what happened and took pity on her, but she was choosing to believe.

* * *

Cheryl did her best to get through the following hours until lunch. Her classes went by in a blur, as she was not able to focus on anything after her morning encounter. Rather than paying attention, the redhead reminisced about her days in junior high. She had idolized Heather. She had _loved _Heather… or at least… she thought she did, but that girl in the hallway felt unlovable to her.

_What would you know about it? You've never known love, Cheryl, except to rip it apart. Cause you are a jealous, spite-filled, starving, emotional anorexic. _

Her mother was wrong. Cheryl wasn't an emotional anorexic… she had just been stupid enough to fall for one apparently. She had used intimidation sure, but Cheryl had _never _gone as far as Heather did today.

She wouldn't let someone as toxic as Heather Chase dictate what she can and cannot wear. Cheryl had only just found some resemblance of herself, and she _refused_ to let that be taken from her. It didn't matter who tried; she wasn't about to let one more thing be stolen from her.

What she needed was a defensive strategy… a way to protect herself from the likes of Heather and Reggie and anyone else who dared try to bring her down. Her fire had only just started to rekindle, and she would insure it continued until the flames within her burned brighter than the embers that brought down Thornhill. Heather be _damned_.

With determination, Cheryl marched into the cafeteria, her head held high. She made a direct line for her now usual table, and upon seeing Jughead, slammed her palms down onto the table.

"Whoa, Cher." The boy looked up, startled. "Hey, where'd your lipstick go? I thought that was your signature look or whatever."

Cheryl huffed, annoyed with the reminder of her now makeupless face. She had used the wipes to clean herself up, and stupidly, the redhead didn't bring any of her products with her to school for touch ups. An amateur move by her standards. Plus, for the time being, bare lips seemed the safer option… until her plan had come to fruition. "Nevermind that, Jugh- Jug. I _swear _I'm working on that. We need to talk."

Jughead shrugged, "Okay? So talk."

"Not here," she turned, flipping her red locks over her shoulder in a fluid motion. Cheryl looked over her shoulder. "Well? Are you coming or not?"

"Oh, that means I'm supposed to follow you," he laughed. The boy turned to his fellow Serpents seated at the table, "Catch you later, guys."

The two walked through the rows of crowded tables. Cheryl opened the door leading outside, and Jughead followed her through. She didn't stop until she was sure to be out of earshot of any eavesdroppers. The last thing she wanted was what she was about to say getting back to Heather.

"I've decided to join."

"Join…?"

"The Serpents," she scoffed at his obliviousness. "I want to join the Serpents."

"About time! What changed your mind?"

Cheryl took a deep, composing breath, "I'm tired of being meek, loner Cheryl, and it seems that with my current status that's the only way to survive here. If I have any hope of being my old self again, I'm going to need some support."

"You have me regardless. You know that right?" Jughead had wanted his best friend to join the Serpents for _years _, long before whatever cosmic fluke played body snatchers. Still, he didn't want her to do this because she felt she was alone. Cheryl was his best friend, no matter what background she had.

"I do. I really do, and I can't begin to tell you how much that means to me." She couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the whole situation, "If someone told me that I would be grateful about being able to call Jughead Jones my friend… I'd have called them insane, but I don't know where I'd be without you. Please know that."

Jughead gave her a crooked smile and a nod in response. He gently gripped her shoulder before speaking, "I know. Not many people would believe their best friend's brain was somehow taken over by their parallel world alternate self. Honestly, I think anyone else would have sent you to Riverdale General to be admitted for a psych eval."

"Be that as it may," she rolled her eyes while stifling a genuine laugh, "You are only one person. You can't protect me all the time… today was proof of that."

"Did something happen? Is that why your face looks normal?"

She scoffed, "Do you want me in the Serpents or _not_, Jones?"

"Of course I do! I just want to make sure it's what _you _really want. Call it, ya know, doing my best friend diligence, or whatever." Jughead took a step back and shrugged his shoulders.

"I appreciate that, but like I was saying… you aren't always around, and I know a Serpent never stands alone. It's a family. I _need _that, Jug," Cheryl explained. "I don't have the Vixens behind me anymore or the fear of the student body. I'm virtually alone and defenseless. Plus… I think it's time I get my family back."

"If you're sure -"

"I'm positive," she assured.

"Awesome. I'll talk to my dad -"

Cheryl cut him off once more, "Before you do… I have one condition."

"Okay?"

"About my jacket…"


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes:**

Things shouldn't be as heavy from here on out. Sorry if anyone had difficulty reading the last chapter with the bullying scene. I promise I had some difficulties writing it too.

Apologies for the delay in getting this chapter up, but it is over twice the length of the last one. Hope that makes up for it!

Also there is an adult content warning for this chapter. It's not smut, but it's uh… it's something. Smutlite you could say.

Anyways… without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

"Cheryl!" Claude yelled from the other end of the trailer.

Cheryl jumped off her bed and onto her feet before running from the room. When she reached her uncle's room she saw what had caused his distress. Hot Dog was perched on top of Claude's stomach, effectively pinning him to the bed. The redhead stifled a laugh at the sight.

"Glad this is amusing to you, but could use a lil' help."

She grabbed the dog's collar and gently coaxed him onto the floor. "You aren't supposed to be in here, boy."

"Like that dog gives a shit where he's supposed to be," he grumbled as he sat up. "How much longer until our house guest goes back home again?"

Cheryl scratched behind Hot Dog's ear as he looked up at her with wide eyes. She sighed, "Just for today. Sweet Pea is taking him back home with him after my initiation tonight."

A week had gone by since the day Cheryl made the decision to join the Serpents, though to her it was re-joining. However, this time there were no shortcuts. She had to go through all of the steps, including the one she was dreading most.

Having Hot Dog around wasn't so bad though, and if Cheryl was being honest, she was going to miss the little guy. Toni had done most of the work in watching him the last time. She had been too concerned about getting fur on her designer clothes to bring him to Thistlehouse, but this time she really got to know the dog. For the last week she didn't have to sleep in an empty bed. There was no comparison between Hot Dog and her girlfriend, but the company was nice. It wouldn't be the same once he left.

"Good. Not that I dislike pets, but he's already gone through a pair of my boots and those things aren't cheap," Claude said. He gave Hot Dog a glare before rolling his eyes, giving in, and leaning forward to scratch the dog under his chin. "But yeah, it won't be the same without him around. Hate to say it, he grew on me a little."

"Oh did he?"

He raised an eyebrow and scoffed. "A _little_. Not enough to keep him so don't be getting any ideas."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Cheryl laughed. "Speaking of tonight… did you change your mind?"

"Nah," her uncle shook his head. "Not really comfortable with the idea of watching my niece strip down to dance for a bunch of grown ass men. I may try to stop by later, but just can't be there. Hope you understand."

"I do," she sighed. "Believe me, I'm not looking forward to that part either."

"Anyone home?" Jughead's voice sounded from the other room.

"In here," Cheryl replied as she ushered Hot Dog out of the room.

Jughead's face lit up at the sight of the dog. He dropped to his knees, spread his arms, and called, "Hey there, buddy! Come 'ere."

Cheryl released her grasp on his collar and watched as the hound charged the boy, knocking him to the ground on impact. The redhead couldn't help but laugh as Jughead rolled around on the floor playing with the dog.

Jughead found his bearings and sat up. Hot Dog flipped onto his back, inviting the raven haired boy to scratch his stomach, which Jughead did without hesitation.

"Oh hey, Jughead," Claude greeted as he made his appearance.

"Hey, Mr. B," he responded. "You coming tonight?"

"Nah... can't, sorry. Please watch after this one for me?"

"Always."

"Right… well I best be off," Cheryl's uncle said as he made his way to the door. "I'll catch you kids later." He turned to Cheryl before leaving, "Good luck tonight, Goose."

"Thank you," she answered lowly.

Once the front door shut behind Claude, Jughead turned his attention back to Cheryl. "Did that playlist I sent you help at all?"

"Yes, actually. It helped a lot," she said before nodding with a tight lipped smile. Cheryl turned and walked over to the couch, sitting down as she ran her hand through her long red hair.

Jughead got to his feet and followed, taking the seat beside her. "So did you figure out which song?"

"Yeah, I'm going to go with that Twilight baseball one," she answered.

"The _what _one?"

"You know… the one from the movie," Cheryl pressed.

Jughead's face furrowed in disgust, "You mean _Muse_?"

She nodded in response as Hog Dog jumped into her lap. "Right, that one."

"Why did you even watch that movie? It's atrocious. _My _Cheryl wouldn't have been caught dead watching that," he said adamantly.

Cheryl challenged him with her eyes first before verbally, "If your Cheryl didn't watch it, how did you know which song I was talking about?"

Jughead let out a small laugh and nodded, "I _do _have a sister you know?"

"Mmhmm," Cheryl smirked. "And you're _sure _it didn't have anything to do with trying to have something in common with a certain blonde with an affinity for ponytails?"

He looked at her, deadpanned. "You know what? Shut up," the boy spat.

The redhead laughed, "Sure, Juggie."

"Juggie?"

Cheryl shrugged, "You wanted nicknames; I'm giving you nicknames. I can always go to my fallbacks if you'd prefer?"

Jughead raised his hands in surrender, "No, Juggie is fine."

"You sure?"

"Well, it's better than Hobo," he admitted.

She raised her hands and placed them over her heart. "Aw, you remembered."

He rolled his eyes, "You don't really forget your best friend calling you a hobo, Cher."

Cheryl placed her hand on his shoulder, "Don't forget, you were _thee _hobo."

"Ah yes," Jughead acknowledged, giving her a forced smile, "_much _better."

* * *

The Whyte Wrym was packed. Serpents of all ages, sizes, and genders had gathered to usher in their newest member. The large room smelled of motor oil, cigarette smoke, alcohol, and sweat, just as Cheryl remembered it from her times visiting Toni before the Serpents lost the bar. In fact, nothing appeared different at all. Somehow the run down biker bar seemed untouched by whatever curse disrupted her life. One constant in the midst of complete chaos.

Cheryl's experience, on the other hand, was vastly different from the first time she went through the initiation. For one, Toni wasn't there to hold her hand through the process. She was alone. Well, not _technically_, she was literally surrounded by other people, just not the one person that mattered. Even the location had changed. The first time she became a Serpent was outside in the makeshift campground the gang had found refuge in after losing both Sunnyside and the Wyrm. Now, as did the Serpents who came before her, Cheryl's trials would take place in that very bar.

This time there were no allowances, no exceptions.

This time it was all about tradition.

She found herself standing before FP as the man yelled question after question in her face. Cheryl knew every answer like the back of her hand. Toni had studied relentlessly with her the first time, and despite being kicked out, they remained engraved in her brain. They were part of her.

"_What is the fifth law?!_" FP bellowed, his throat starting to sound dry.

Cheryl, looking him dead in the eye, yelled back, "_A Serpent never betrays __**her** __own! _"

He smirked at her change of pronouns and winked. A moment later he screamed once again, "_What is the sixth law?! _"

"_In unity, there is strength! _" she replied with everything she had.

Every Serpent in the Wyrm echoed, "_In unity, there is strength! _"

FP gave her a sincere smile and pulled her close, embracing her tightly, "You did great kid."

"Thanks, but something tells me that was the easy part," Cheryl said into the hug.

He pulled away, hands still on her shoulder, "Unfortunately, yeah. Only gets harder from here, but something tells me you can handle yourself just fine."

* * *

"You don't scare me," Cheryl asserted as she stared through the glass. She locked eyes with the reptile as it turned to face her, tongue slithering in and out of its thin mouth.

Without breaking eye contact, the rattlesnake coiled its body around the pocket knife residing within. The brown handle stuck straight up, while the blade had been stabbed into a small wooden log in the center of the enclosure. It was as if the reptile understood its role, to guard the knife as if it were treasure. The snake's eyes remained fixated on Cheryl, challenging her to steal it from it's clutches.

A bump to her shoulder caused Cheryl to jump as she sucked in a sharp breath. The redhead turned to her side to find her friend besides her, his eyes focused on the snake.

"Liar," Jughead said. "This guy terrified me."

The two of them stood less than a foot from the rattlesnake. They bent at the hips, allowing themselves to be eye level with the creature on the other side of the clear glass.

"Shh," she shushed him, "the goal is to convince myself." Cheryl turned her attention back to the terrarium and the beast residing within.

"In that case," he squinted at the snake, "you don't scare her."

"Thank you," the redhead said with a smile.

Jughead turned his head to face her, "You got this… _again_."

"I haven't actually done this before," Cheryl admitted. She bit down on her lower lip and averted her eyes.

"Wait... How? You can't just pick and choose which trials you go through," he inquired.

"The Wyrm was raided before I joined," the redhead explained, reflecting back on the night Hiram's men came for the Serpents. That night had been a turning point. Her warning had saved everyone; without it, she wondered if they would have trusted her to join. "Everyone had to evacuate so fast… a snake habitat doesn't travel easily so it was left behind. I did have to do the other trials though."

"Okay, but wait... _evacuate_?"

"Yeah," she confirmed. "Hiram Lodge, Veronica's dad, had sort of a vendetta against you and the Serpents by association. After he gained control of the Sheriff's Department he sent nearly every officer in Riverdale to the bar _hoping _for casualties. Mumsy, demon beast that she is, warned me before I went to see Toni. We were able to get everyone out in time."

"Damn," Jughead exhaled. "Guess we can be glad that dude's still locked up."

"You gonna get the knife of not, Red? We don't have all night," Sweet Pea hollered from behind them. "Let's get this show on the road!"

"Shut it, Sweet Pea," Jughead barked, turning around to face the taller boy. "If you're so impatient, you reach in there, and grab it."

"Calm down, Jug," Cheryl said, placing her hand on his shoulder. "No need for confrontations. He's right… it is rather superfluous to further delay the inevitable." She took a deep breath and turned around, her red hair animatedly flipping over her shoulder.

"You got this, kid," FP called out from the other side of the glass enclosure.

Cheryl replied with a simple nod before looking down at the snake. It's slitted eyes focused on her as it tightened its body around the knife. Within giving herself another moment to hesitate, she reached into the glass and felt the serpent strike within milliseconds.

Searing pain rushed through her entire arm, but the redhead did her best to ignore it. She stifled her scream and pushed onward until her fingers wrapped around the wooden handle. As Cheryl pulled away, she felt the snake strike again. This time a bloodcurdling scream escaped from her throat. She stepped backwards, away from the terrarium. With the knife still in her grasp, she fell to her knees.

Cheers erupted from the Serpents surrounding her. She dropped the knife and held onto her injured hand with her good one, a feeble attempt to ease the pain.

"You did it!" Jughead cheered as he dropped to the floor next to her. The boy threw his arm around her and placed a kiss to the top of her head. "You fucking did it."

"If I ever… get home," she struggled to get the words out as the adrenaline continued surging through her, "I… am buying… and entire… wardrobe… made from that… vial… creature's… skin."

"No doubt about it, Cher," he laughed. "Common, let's get you cleaned up."

Jughead helped Cheryl to her feet. As they walked through the crowd, many of the Serpents patted her on the back and expressed their pride in her completing the second trial. She couldn't help but smile at the praise. It made her feel confident, and confidence was something she knew she would need to go through with the final trial.

"I'm really sorry you have to do this, Cher. I wish you didn't have to," Jughead said as they sat at the bar. He took a sip of his beer before motioning to Hog Eye for another.

Cheryl rolled her eyes, "Against having girls strip for you, Jones? Or is just your best friends you don't want to see in their underwear?"

"As a hard core feminist, I don't support this _at all_," the boy claimed adamantly. "If I'm ever in charge I'll make sure it's the first thing that's gone."

Cheryl scoffed at Jughead's claim. The version she knew did no such thing. No, the Jughead she knew would rather get rid of women members than the sexist traditions against them.

Noticing her reaction, he insisted, "I will!"

"I don't think you had an issue with it when Betty was the one dancing."

"That was the _other _me! You know I w-" he paused, seeming to finally realize what Cheryl had revealed to him. "Wait… when… _Betty _did it? Betty did the dance?"

"Mmhmm," the redhead confirmed. "I mean I wasn't there. Toni was… from what I heard so was Betty's mom. But yes, to answer your question, she did."

"You are telling me Betty Cooper joined the Serpents? Northsider _perfect _Betty?" Jughead asked again, still not completely believing what he was hearing.

Cheryl pursed her lips and nodded. "I think she did for you actually." She winced as she reached for her own drink, a cherry cola with a double shot of vodka. Her wounds had long since stopped bleeding, but they still stung when using that hand.

"Betty joined for _me _… _wow_." Jughead's jaw went slack as he processed the information.

Once again, the redhead rolled her eyes before reaching over and tapping under her friend's mouth to close it. "Not that I'm not _thrilled _for your alter ego, believe me I'm over the _moon _for Hobo you and his lady love, but right now can we focus on me?"

"Of course," he shook his head, as if trying to physically shake the thoughts from his mind. "This is about you. What do you need?"

"Nothing... I guess… I'm just really _really _nervous about going out there."

"But you've done this before." Jughead shrugged. He grabbed the fresh beer Hog Eye left for him and raised it towards his mouth. "So, should be easy right?"

Cheryl absentmindedly began to twirl the thin straw in her cocktail before biting down on her bottom lip in reflection. "No… not exactly."

* * *

_"Hey, Cher," Toni called as she ran up the stairs towards her girlfriend's bedroom. "You'll never guess, babe. I have gr-" Her words died on her lips the second she entered the room._

_"Does this look okay?" Cheryl asked nervously. She wore a two piece, red lace lingerie set. The bra accentuated her breasts while still providing full coverage; she didn't want to show more than necessary. The panties were high waisted with built in garter belt; its straps were fastened to sheer stockings of an identical shade._

_"__Wow__," the shorter girl breathed out in awe._

_It was the least amount of clothing she had worn in front of the pink haired girl, and the reaction she received brought a crimson blush to Cheryl's skin, which was currently on display. "So… you like?"_

_"You look… beautiful."_

_"Thanks," Cheryl responded before biting down on her lower lip._

_Toni took a step forward. Then another. She slowly approached her girlfriend until she was mere inches away. Toni rested her hand on Cheryl's hip, causing the redhead to inhale sharply. "How are you even real?"_

_"You… you had something to tell me?" Cheryl asked as she struggled to control her breathing._

_"Hm?" Toni asked absentmindedly as her eyes wandered down, feasting on the sight before her. "Oh! Right," she looked up to meet her girlfriend's eyes. "I just talked to FP. He found a loophole."_

_"A loophole?"_

_Toni took Cheryl's hands in her own and smiled widely. "He said the law dictates the initiation dance needs to be performed for a Serpent audience."_

_"We know that already. I don't see-"_

_Toni shushed her, a laugh on her breath. "Let me finish. Okay? He said it says a Serpent audience, but it doesn't say __**anything** __about how big of one. And with the Wyrm being lost, we don't really have a stage anyways, so appeasing the gang isn't really an issue. As long we meet the minimum the law requires he said he'll handle whatever slack he gets."_

_"What are you saying?" Cheryl asked, unclear what her girlfriend was trying to convey._

_"My constant badgering paid off, that's what I'm saying!" Toni exclaimed happily. "Well, at least for you it did… I'm not sure about the next person or when we find a new place or-"_

_"Toni, what are you talking about?"_

_Her smile grew larger, "You don't have to do the dance in front of all those men. You need a Serpent audience… and one Serpent qualifies as an audience. So... you can perform the dance... privately." Toni swallowed, suddenly feeling nervous, "Y-you can do the dance for… for just me."_

* * *

Cheryl couldn't tear her eyes away from the stage as dread filled her. The preeminent moment was upon her. In a matter of minutes she'd be up there, dancing for all to see. She had been nervous about dancing for Toni, but doing this without her was so much worse.

"Cher, stop picking your nails," Jughead scolded half jokingly.

The redhead huffed, "I know! I can't help it… ever since I was a child. When I would get really anxious or nervous I'd pick at my nails. Sometimes I wouldn't stop until they were bleeding. I'd wrap my finger tips in bandaids. I'd wrap them so tight the circulation nearly cut off."

Jughead's eyes widened in concern, "And you never got help? With all that money, you never went to a doctor?"

"Blossoms don't go to therapists; that would show weakness… imperfection," Cheryl explained. "Mumsy couldn't have a daughter with such a habit though."

_Too bad her aversion to therapy didn't extend to… don't go there Cheryl. Don't go there. Not now. Don't cry. Don't cry. Deep breathes._

"What did she do?"

Jughead's question pulled Cheryl from her thoughts. "She took me to a nail salon," she answered. "I've been wearing acrylics since I was eight… until I woke up here. Getting my nails done really isn't in the budget."

He reached over and grasped her hand, "I know you're scared, but you _got _this."

Cheryl nodded feebly. "It's not like I haven't danced in front of crowds before… this is just-"

"Different," he finished. "I'm sure this is way more terrifying than what you went through with Rumple back there."

She squinted at him in confusion, "With who?"

"Rumplesnakeskin," Jughead answered as if it were obvious. "The rattlesnake; that's his name." Cheryl looked at him, her jaw slack and eyebrows raised, but before she had a chance to reply, he continued, "I know. Just do what I did when I had to face the gauntlet."

"Get my face beat in?"

He laughed, "No. I mentally went somewhere else. So instead of focusing on the feeling of brass knuckles connecting with my jaw, I thought of something else. Something better."

"So instead of focusing on undressing for a room full of old men, I should think of something else?"

"Yeah. Exactly," the boy confirmed. "Think of something else, go there in your mind."

Cheryl nodded, "I'll try. Thanks, Jug."

"You got this, alright?"

"I got this," she echoed his statement. "I'll just go somewhere else in my mind."

Slowly, Cheryl began to take deliberate steps away from Jughead. Her hands were clenched into tight fists to stop her from picking her nails as she made her way onto the stage. She could feel the heat from the lights hit her. She heard the intro to her song begin to play. It was the moment of truth. All that stood between Cheryl and her jacket was one dance.

She could do this.

She had to.

_Think of something else. Go somewhere else, Cheryl. You can do this._

Cheryl gripped the pole and began to move to the music. To the audience it looked like she was present with them in that room, but in Cheryl's mind she was far away. She was back in her bedroom at Thistlehouse, reliving the night she first performed the Serpent dance. She wasn't in a smelly bar full of grown bikers. She was with Toni.

* * *

_"Cher," Toni took her girlfriend's hand in her own, "if you don't want to do this just tell me. I can always lie and say you did. FP would never know."_

_The redhead shook her head in protest, "No, I'm not letting you do that. I'm going to do this right. I'm not becoming a Serpent by fraud, TT. Plus… something tells me you were looking forward to a dance?"_

_"Maybe... okay yes," Toni confessed before biting down on her lip. "Doesn't matter what __I __want though, babe. All that matters right now is what you're comfortable with."_

_"I'm comfortable with _**_you_**_," Cheryl assured. "I can do this. It's just a dance right?"_

_"Yeah… just a dance."_

_Cheryl walked over to her vanity, pulled out the chair, and turned it around. "Sit here," she requested, her voice shaky as she spoke. "I'm… I'm going to go g-get ready."_

_The shorter girl rid herself of her Serpent jacket, gently placing it on Cheryl's bed. "I thought you already were ready?" Toni asked as she walked over to sit down in the chair her girlfriend had pulled out for her._

_"Can hardly give you a strip tease when I'm already down to my underwear, can I?" Cheryl called back from within the walk-in closet, hidden from Toni's curious gaze._

_Toni let out a breathy laugh, "You're putting clothes __on_ _so you can take them off?"_

_The redhead appeared in the closet entrance. She stretched her arm upwards and leaned against the doorframe, showing off her chosen ensemble. "Don't act like you aren't pleased."_

_"So... you put on a robe?" Toni cocked an eyebrow as she observed. Cheryl had exactly the same thing on as moments earlier, only now her body was covered by a thin, sheer dressing gown. The pink haired girl recognized it as the one her girlfriend wore the night of the slumber party when they had nearly had their first kiss._

_Cheryl huffed, "It seemed stupid to get completely dressed, Toni. Are you going to play along or not?"_

_Toni laughed in earnest, unable to stop herself. "Babe, stop overthinking. You look great okay? Very _**_very_ **_sexy."_

_The redhead pushed herself off of the wall and began to walk over to her awaiting girlfriend. "You really think so?"_

_"Is that even a question?"_

_Cheryl blushed crimson, "I guess not."_

_"Can I touch you?" Toni looked up at her with doe eyes. When her question was met with a blank stare she elaborated, "You know, when you're d-dancing."_

_"Oh." Cheryl hadn't considered that. Her mind wandered to what it would be like to have Toni's warm hands caressing her skin… her back, her chest, her thighs…. between her thighs. She had thought about how it would feel countless times in the dead of night as she laid alone in her four poster bed, allowing her own hands to wander while imagining they were Toni's. But now, with Toni sitting before her, she was petrified. "I… I'm not sure I'll be able to… to go through with this if you do."_

_The shorter girl let out an audible whine. Toni understood, of __**course** __Toni understood. They hadn't talked about sex much, but she knew Cheryl was a virgin. She wouldn't push her to do __**anything** __she didn't want to, which is why she offered to lie and break Serpent law for her just so she didn't have to go through with this now. Still, she was human, and watching her girlfriend dance provocatively in front of her while not being allowed to touch her was going to be torture._

_Cheryl wasn't oblivious to Toni's discomfort. A smile crossed her cherry lips, "This is going to be hard for you isn't it?"_

_Toni nodded, "So much, babe. You have no idea."_

_"It's going to be hard for me too, ma chérie," the taller girl confessed, "but if we don't have some boundaries in place I'll never be a Serpent."_

_"Again… I could always lie," Toni smirked._

_Cheryl rolled her eyes, "Absolutely not, Antoinette."_

_"The full name? Really? That's cold, babe."_

_"Then maybe I should help heat things up? Since you're so cold," the redhead teased._

_Toni swallowed and realized how dry her mouth had become. "I… I thought you were nervous?"_

_Cheryl _**_was_ **_nervous, more nervous than she had been in her entire life. Her heart felt like it was beating out of her chest, but she did her best to ignore it. This was a performance. She had performed countless times. She was the head cheerleader, the HBIC of Riverdale High. If anyone could handle this, it was her. "I am. I'm just trying my best not to be."_

_"Babe, come here," Toni reached out to her girlfriend. Her hand made contact with Cheryl's pale skin at the elbow before sliding down until their fingers intertwined. She pulled Cheryl closer to her. "You have nothing to be nervous about. It's just me."_

_"There's never been _**_just you_**_, TT. No one has ever seen me like this… and I don't want you to be disappointed," Cheryl confessed._

_Toni reached up with her free hand to stroke Cheryl's cheek with her thumb, "Not possible. You are the most breathtaking person I've ever laid eyes on. You, Cheryl Blossom, are sensational."_

_"You like that word don't you?"_

_"Only for you," Toni answered before sliding her hand around to the back of her girlfriend's neck to pull her closer until their lips met._

_"Mmm," Cheryl moaned into the kiss. She broke away a moment later and let out a shaky breath, "Maybe we should start that no touching rule now."_

_"Do we have to?" Toni pouted._

_"I think that would be best." A glimmer of mischief flashed in her eyes before she leaned over to whisper in Toni's ear, "But that doesn't mean I can't touch you."_

_A shiver went up Toni's spine, "Cher, you're killin' me."_

_Cheryl playfully nipped Toni's earlobe, "Then it's probably best we get started."_

_"Babe…"_

_"Patience, mon trésor." The taller girl reached behind her girlfriend and grabbed her cell phone. Cheryl slid her thumb across the screen to unlock it before opening Spotify. A moment later Aqua's Barbie Girl began playing through the room's Bluetooth speaker._

_Toni pursed her lips and furrowed her brow in confusion. "Interesting choice."_

_"Shh," Cheryl gave her a side eye. "I accidentally hit shuffle on my entire library." She quickly located the correct song and hit play. Beyoncé's voice came through the speaker, a much more appropriate melody than the previous one. "This isn't what I was going to go with, but since it's just us… maybe something a little more intimate?"_

**_I just wanna_ _  
__Show you how much I appreciate you_**

_"Mmm, much better," Toni sighed._

_"No talking," Cheryl scolded._

_The shorter girl tilted her head to the side and cocked an eyebrow, "More rules?"_

_"Please?"_

_Toni nodded before making a locking motion against her lips._

**_Wanna show you how much you got your girl feelin' good_**  
**_Wanna show you how much, how much you're understood_**  
**_Wanna show you how much, I value what you say_ _  
__Not only are you loyal, you're patient with me babe_**

_Cheryl took a step back away from her girlfriend. She took a deep breath before running a hand through her copper tresses. It was the moment of truth. The music was playing. Toni was waiting. Now all Cheryl had to do was move._

_Her eyes closed, and she began to sway to the beat, hoping her years of cheerleading and dance would take over and guide her movements. For a performer, she felt incredibly out of her element. Slowly, Cheryl opened her eyes and the intense gaze Toni was giving her sparked the confidence she desperately needed._

_She reached for the tie of her robe and slowly began to untie it, continuing to move to the rhythm of the song. Cheryl let the fabric drift open. She reached up to her shoulder and teasingly let it fall off before pulling it back in place._

_Toni watched with bated breath. Knowing she couldn't touch her girlfriend for the next however many minutes was killing her. And despite knowing exactly what was under that robe, Toni wanted it __gone_ _._

**_Tonight I'm gonna dance for you (ohh ooh ohh ohhh)_**  
**_Tonight I'm gonna dance for you (ohh ooh ohh ohhh)_**  
**_Tonight I'm gonna put my body on your b__ody_**  
**_Boy I like it when you watch me, ah_ _  
__Tonight it's going down_**

_Cheryl turned her back to Toni. She crossed her arms over her chest and pushed the robe off either side before turning to look at her girlfriend over her shoulder. With her eyes still on Toni, Cheryl dropped her arms and let the robe fall to the ground, pooling around her feet._

_She turned around and channeled some of her more seductive cheerleading moves to give her girlfriend a show. Cheryl really didn't know what she was doing, but whatever it was, it seemed to be working. Toni's eyes darkened as she watched, which fueled Cheryl's resolve._

**_Loving you is really all that's on my mind_**  
**_And I can't help but to think about it day and ni__ght_ _  
__I wanna make that body rock, sit back and watch_**

_Cheryl got closer to Toni, and rested her hand upon the pinkette's shoulder. She dipped her hips and swayed to the beat. The redhead turned around, wanting to give her girlfriend a proper view of her ass, and bent down and back up painstakingly slow. If anyone claimed inspiration can't come from Elle Woods, they would have been sorely mistaken by the audible moan Cheryl heard from behind her._

_It was intoxicating, knowing she had that effect on her girlfriend. She was no stranger to people lusting after her. Cheryl knew she was gorgeous, and often she flaunted it. See through shirts, high cut shorts, stilettos to accentuate her legs. They didn't call her Cheryl Bombshell for nothing._

_But with Toni, it was different._

_With Toni... it __**meant** __something._

**_If it's real then you know how I feel_**  
**_Rockin' on you babe_**  
**_Rockin' rockin' on you babe_**  
**_Swirlin' on you babe_**  
**_In my mind all I can think about _**  
**_Is a frame for our future_**  
**_And the pictures of the past_ _  
__And a chance to make this love last_**

_She wasn't ready to say the words, but she felt them. Cheryl had never told anyone she loved them besides her family, and the last time she uttered them it was to Jason, right before saying goodbye for what would be the last time. She had thought she loved Heather, but she never once told her… and what she felt then could not compare to what she felt now. Cheryl hoped Toni knew how much she meant to her._

_The girl had saved her in more ways than one… her mind, her heart, her soul, and quite literally her entire self when she burst in to rescue her from the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Maybe it would be weeks or even months before she was ready to admit it out loud, but there was no doubt in her mind, Cheryl was in love with Toni Topaz. It was part of why she chose this song, perhaps the lyrics could convey what she wasn't able to herself just yet._

**_Tonight I'm gonna dance for you (ohh ooh ohh ohhh)_**  
**_Tonight I'm gonna dance for you (ohh ooh ohh ohhh)_ _  
__Tonight I'm gonna put my body on your body_**

_Cheryl climbed on Toni's lap. She knew the song was coming to an end, and she wanted this to be a __proper_ _lap dance for her girlfriend. She swirled her hips to the song as the lyrics prompted._

**_I'll be rockin' on my babe rockin' rockin' on my babe_**  
**_Swirlin' on you babe swirlin' swirlin on you babe_**  
**_Baby lemme put my body on your body_**  
**_Promise not to tell nobody 'cause_ _  
__It's bout to go down_**

_The song came to an end and proceeded to the next, but Cheryl didn't move. She stayed on Toni's lap, her eyes locked on her girlfriend's. "How was that?"_

_"_**_Wow_**_," Toni replied, unable to form other words._

_"I think that's what you said earlier when I asked how I looked."_

_The pink haired girl laughed, "It's hard to think with you looking like that, babe. You… are…"_

_"Sensational?" Cheryl asked teasingly before biting down on her lower lip._

_"Yeah, sensational." Toni's eyes drifted to the taller girl's lips. "Can I?"_

_"Oh! The no touching thing, right. You can kiss me, Toni. Please kiss me," she whispered, unsure why her voice was so soft all of a sudden._

_Toni met her eyes once more before leaning in. Her hands flew to Cheryl's face, cradling her cheeks gently as she deepened the kiss. When she felt one of her hands being pulled away, Toni assumed she had overstepped, but quickly learned that wasn't the case._

_Cheryl felt brave. She had forced herself out of her comfort zone so much in the last few minutes, but she had zero regrets. Toni had been amazing. She knew how much the girl wanted her, she had been able to feel the energy radiating off her girlfriend for the entire dance. Yet, Toni was patient. She was everything Cheryl could ask for in a partner. So with confidence still reeling within herself, Cheryl pulled Toni's hand away from face and lowered it downwards, ultimately placing it on top of her lace covered breast._

_The second Toni's palm made contact, her eyes flew open and she pulled away from Cheryl. She searched her eyes for any sign of hesitation or doubt. Finding none, Toni gently squeezed the flesh in her grasp while lightly massaging with her thumb. "This okay?"_

_Cheryl nodded and reclaimed Toni's lips with her own. The added sensation of being kissed while feeling Toni at her breast caused a moan to escape from deep within Cheryl's throat._

_Toni broke away from the kiss and rested her forehead against her girlfriend's. The two of them sat wordlessly, the only sound filling the room being their panted breaths. "You… m-maybe you should put your… your clothes back on."_

_"Right," Cheryl nodded in agreement. She couldn't think of anything else to say as she climbed off Toni's lap. She reached down to pick her silk robe off the floor and quickly slid it on. "I… I should g-get dressed."_

_Sensing her girlfriend's panic, Toni got up and rushed to her before she made it to the closet. "You were… you __are_ _amazing. I didn't stop because I-"_

_"I know," Cheryl stopped her. "Thank you… for being patient with me, TT."_

_"As long as you need, babygirl," Toni smiled and gave Cheryl a quick peck on the lips. "Now, you focus on getting dressed while I go... um... clean up."_

_"Clean up?"_

_"Mmhmm," the shorter girl replied as she avoided Cheryl's eyes before disappearing out the door in the direction of the bathroom._

_Realization struck her suddenly, "_**_Oh_**_." Cheryl laughed for lack of a better reaction, feeling a mix of pride and embarrassment. Her body flushed scarlet as she thought about the effect she had on her girlfriend._

_It wasn't easy, but Cheryl did it; she pushed herself beyond her limits and flourished. Not to mention, she managed to turn on her girlfriend, of which the redhead couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Her eyes followed the path Toni walked before noticing her girlfriend's jacket laying on the bed, causing a smile to form on her lips. The hardest part was over, and now she was one step closer to getting her own jacket, one step closer to becoming a Serpent._

* * *

The feeling of cool leather being draped over her shoulders pulled Cheryl from her thoughts. A moment later she registered the sound of applause and cheers from the crowd of Serpents before her. She was one of them… again, not that they knew that.

"You did good, kid," FP said from behind her.

Cheryl looked over her shoulder and gave him a tight lipped smile.

"Let's get you off the stage, yeah? Jug can get your clothes."

She nodded, allowing FP to guide her off stage and towards the store room. Jughead suddenly ran into the room, his arms full of Cheryl's discarded clothes.

"Great job. I knew you could do it," he smiled as he handed Cheryl her jeans. "You had nothing to worry about."

Cheryl eagerly took her jeans from the boy and began redressing. "Easy for you to say, it wasn't _you _doing it."

"Accept the compliment, Cher," he laughed. "At least it's over right?"

She removed her jacket and exchanged it with the shirt in Jughead's hand. The redhead slipped it over here head before reclaiming the red leather in his grasp. Cheryl looked down at the jacket in her hands, the one this whole evening had been for, and felt a rush of emotion take hold. She turned it over, admiring the embroidered snake adorning the back. "Doesn't feel real."

"You earned that," FP commented, not quite understanding where her mind went.

Cheryl had no doubts she earned her place. She deserved to be a Serpent as much as anyone else dawning ceremonial leather on the other side of the door. This time no one could say she only joined for Toni or that she got special treatment. She did this all on her own. It felt good, it felt right, but… it felt… it felt…

_Toni should be here for this._

"Hey, Dad," Jughead stepped forward, sensing her distress. "I think we're good here if you want to head back out."

"Sounds good, boy. I'll go order us a celebratory round," FP nodded as he ducked out of the room.

"Cher?" The boy took a step closer to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"

"Just thinking… I'm fine." Cheryl reached up and wiped an unshed tear from her eye, not wanting to cry.

Jughead pressed his lips into a thin line and nodded. "She'd be proud of you. I mean… I don't know _your _Toni, but she'd be crazy not to," he assured. "Ya know, for what it's worth."

"That… that actually means a lot," she smiled. "Thanks, Jug."

"Hey," he pressed. "No being sad, alright? Finished getting dressed; there's a party out there in your honor."

"You're right. Go ahead," Cheryl told him. "I'll be right out."

A few minutes later the redhead found herself in the middle of a crowd of Serpents, each wishing her congratulations in turn. She was once again fully dressed and wearing her new jacket with pride. While she was enjoying the well wishes, Cheryl felt a little uncomfortable dealing with the attention on her own; she _was _nearly naked in front of these people only moments earlier. She scanned the room looking for Jughead when she heard a voice speak from behind her.

"You looked great up there."

Cheryl turned around to see a girl a few inches taller than herself smiling at her. The girl had caramel skin, dark frizzy hair that fell in curls past her shoulders, and a slightly crooked front tooth that somehow suited her smile perfectly. Her brown eyes were warm and inviting, yet unfamiliar. After spending so much time with the Serpents before her and Toni's exile, Cheryl thought she knew almost everyone who frequented the Wyrm before it was lost to Hiram. "Do I know you?"

"Don't be like that, babe," she cooed. The taller girl reached forward to rest her hand on Cheryl's leather-clad arm before gently rubbing up and down as she continued, "I know things didn't end well between us, but there's no reason to act like you don't know who I am."

"I'm sorry, but I don-"

"Hey, Storm," Jughead interjected, cutting Cheryl off. "Uh, I think Taz was looking for you."

The girl sighed. She looked into Cheryl's eyes as if she was searching for a reason to stay before sighing and pursing her lips. "Right, see you guys later."

When the taller girl was out of earshot, Cheryl leaned over to Jughead, "Who was that?"

"Storm," he answered. "I know you're hurting right now, but do _not _go down that road."

She turned to fully face him, arms crossed. "I don't know who Storm _is_, Jug. What road?"

"Oh… right." He reached up to scratch his head through his beanie. "She's your… well… the _other you's…"_

"Oh my God," dawning appeared on Cheryl's face. "She's my ex?"

Jughead cringed, "Yeah… things didn't end well."

Cheryl turned her head and looked across the room. Her eyes located Storm who was talking with a shorter girl. She bit down on her bottom lip. "Well, I'll give the other me this much… she has good taste."

"No," he scolded.

"My heart belongs to Toni and Toni _only _. You need not worry," she affirmed. "Just… enjoying the view."

Storm turned her attention from the girl she was speaking with and made eye contact with Cheryl. She smirked when she noticed the redhead's eyes on her and gave a wink before resuming the conversation she was having.

"Ugh," Jughead gagged. "Come on, I need a drink."

"There you two are," FP called out as they approached the bar. "These were starting to get warm." He handed each of them a beer before raising his own, "To Cheryl. Welcome to the Serpents, officially." The three of them clinked the tops of their bottles before taking a drink.

"What the hell guys," Sweet Pea announced himself as he threw his arms around Cheryl and Jughead's shoulders. "You starting toasts without us? Personally, I'm offended. Aren't you, Fogarty?"

"Little bit, yeah," Fangs confirmed.

FP shook his head and stifled a laugh. He raised two fingers in the air and yelled out, "Hog Eye, another two over here."

"Drinking on the King's tab? Oh, I can get used to this," Sweet Pea grinned as he released his arms and hopped onto the stool next to Jughead.

"_One _beer each, boys," FP stressed. "I ain't made of money."

"Way to build us up just to knock us down," Fangs joked.

Sweet Pea swirled around on his bar stool and rested his elbows on the counter behind him. "Well in that case, what you guys say we get out of here. After this round of course," he quickly added as to not upset FP who had just ordered him a drink.

Hog Eye walked over two cold beers in one hand and a bottle opener in the other. He quickly popped the caps off the glass bottles, the metal tops flinging onto the floor to be swept up later. "I'll add these to your tab," the man said as he made eye contact with FP.

The Serpent King slid them down the bar towards Sweet Pea and Fangs. "So my company isn't worth anything if it doesn't come with free alcohol? You sure know how to wound an old man's ego."

"You're the one who bought the things," Jughead laughed. "What did you think these two were going to do?"

"You know us too well, younger Jones," Sweet Pea tilted his beer towards the boy. "But seriously, what are we doing after this. I'm assuming we will be keeping this party going?"

"We can go back to my place?" Cheryl suggested, unsure why she was inviting the boys back to her trailer. Jughead made sense, but in no version of her life was she close to the other two. Yet, the idea of hanging out as friends seemed oddly appealing to the redhead. "I mean… you have to stop by to get Hot Dog later anyways right?"

"Sounds good to me, Red," Sweet Pea answered. He raised his beer up, "To Cheryl!"

"To Cheryl," the group repeated.

She looked around the small group and smiled. For the first time since waking up those weeks ago on a lumpy twin bed on the Southside, Cheryl felt like she belonged. It wasn't ideal, it wasn't the life she wanted, but now, with the support of those currently surrounding her, she believed she could survive.

* * *

"And here I was just heading to the Wyrm," Claude laughed as he observed the group of teenagers noisily make their way into his trailer. "Almost missed ya."

Sweet Pea and Fangs ignored her uncle as they walked fully into the trailer and flopped down on the worn sofa. She rolled her eyes at their rudeness. "Are you heading out?"

"Yeah, told some of the guys I'd swing by," he explained. "Thought you'd still be there celebrating."

"We moved the celebration here," Jughead answered. He turned to Cheryl and held up the case of beer in his hand, "Where you want this?"

"In the fridge is fine. Thanks, Jug."

"Alright, kids, you all be careful," Claude laughed. "That jacket really suits you by the way, Goose."

The boys on the couch turned to each other, smirks across their faces. "Goose?" Sweet Pea asked, turning to look over the back of the sofa.

"Oh _God_," Cheryl scoffed, knowing the boy would not let that name go. "Can you both please forget you heard that?"

"Nah," the two answered together.

Fangs grinned widely at her. "Whatsa' matter, Goose? You seem upset."

"I'm going to kill them," she turned to Jughead. "Just let me get my bow, and yeah, I'm going to kill them."

"Bow?" Claude asked, confused.

"My archery set, Uncle Claude," she answered, as if it was obvious.

The man furrowed his brow, "Didn't know you had one of those…"

"Mmhmm." Cheryl pursed her lips and shot daggers at Sweet Pea and Fangs with her eyes. "Don't you think an arrow right between the eyes would be appropriate?"

"Aw, common, Goose," Sweet Pea taunted. "We are just teasing. It's a _cute _nickname. It really suits you, Goose."

"Alright, boys, lay off her a bit, yeah?" Claude asked, attempting to calm the tension in the room.

"That doesn't seem like something we'd do at all," Sweet Pea laughed.

Fangs elbowed him in the gut before asking, "Can you at least tell us _why _he's calling you that, Goo- _Cheryl _?"

"I… I don't actually know," she realized, turning to her uncle. "Why do you call me that? I don't think you could have picked an uglier bird unless you decided to nickname me after a vulture." As soon as the words left her mouth, her eyes grew wide realizing what she said. Quickly, Cheryl turned to Sweet Pea and Fangs while raising a finger towards them in a scolding manner, "Don't even _think _about it."

Claude chortled at her response. He reached up and ran his hand through his salt and pepper head, scratching his scalp while reflecting back, "Back when she was a kid, I called her Silly Goose, and ya know… as she got older the silly part didn't seem as appropriate." The man shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention from the boys to his niece, "You may not be silly anymore, but you're still my Goose."

"Precious, just… precious," Sweet Pea said as he sniffled back fake tears.

Fangs joined in the theatrics, "Beautiful. I am _so _moved."

"Jughead, _please _get my bow."

"Calm down," Claude laughed as he made his way towards the door. "I meant it though, Cheryl, that jacket looks good on you. Nice to see you bringing some color back into your life."

"Thank you," she smiled, momentarily forgetting the obnoxious boys on the couch. "You'll be seeing a lot more of it."

"Sounds good," he said with a smile. "You kids have fun." Claude cleared his throat and nodded his head once before exiting the trailer, pulling the door closed behind him as he left.

"That color looks great on you, Goose," Sweet Pea reiterated once the elder man had gone. "A red jacket for a redhead. It's very gooselike."

"If you two don't stop, we aren't sharing this with you," Jughead smirked as he pulled a ziplock bag out of his pocket containing several large nuggets of weed.

"Did we say Goose? We meant Cheryl… of course we meant Cheryl," Fangs quickly tried to backtrack. "Right, Sweets?"

"Definitely, Red here, we're tight," the taller boy agreed. "We'd never call her anything to offend her. I… I love this girl. Never said a bad thing about her in my life. I swear to weed."

"I think this should keep them calm for a bit," Jughead whispered as he leaned closer to Cheryl.

She turned her head to him and raised her eyebrows, "Did I make a mistake inviting them here?"

"Nah, they'll be fine once we get them high," the boy laughed.

"Too bad we can't keep them high all the time then," Cheryl rolled her eyes.

"Yeah well," Jughead shrugged. "Hey can you grab your lighter? I'll start packing my bowl."

"Actually," she gave a knowing smile, "wait on that for just a minute. I have something special for the occasion."

"Well you going to do something with that or not, Jones?" Cheryl heard Sweet Pea ask as she walked towards her bedroom. "Are you expecting us to get high by staring at it?"

The door was closed, which confused her for a moment until she turned the knob and discovered why her uncle had shut it in her absence. As the door swung open, a mass of fur jumped into her. "So _this _is where you've been hiding," Cheryl laughed, greeting the dog. "Guess I forgot you were here for a minute, boy." She scratched behind his ears as he looked up at her, panting. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Hot Dog tilted his head from side to side, as if he was attempting to understand what she was saying to him. "I'll take that as a yes," she smiled. "I think there's some people out there who would love to say hi to you. Go on," she motioned through the door, and the dog took off at a run into the other room, his tail wagging wildly as he went.

"Hey, there's my favorite boy!" Fangs shouted from the other room.

Sweet Pea laughed, "Don't let the guys at school hear you say that or you may lose your shot with the Sheriff's son."

"Bite me, Sweets," he snapped.

The redhead rolled her eyes as she found what she was looking for. A moment later she returned to the living room with a lighter in one hand and an eight inch, red glass bong in the other. "I saw this at the gas station, and I thought what better way to celebrate?"

"Oh, _hell _yeah, Red," Sweet Pea cheered. "Pack that shit up."

"Please ignore him," Fangs pleaded. "I would actually like to be invited back."

Cheryl laughed as she handed the item to Jughead who excused himself to the kitchen to get it ready. She was grateful for that, having no real idea how to use the thing.

"Grab some drinks while you're in there," Sweet Pea called out.

"Get off your ass, and get them yourself," Cheryl scoffed.

The tallest boy stood up with a huff, "Fine. Guess I have to do everything myself. So much for hospitality."

She took his vacated spot on the couch, pulling her legs beneath her. Her eyes fell to the bright red leather covering her arms and smiled absentmindedly. "Yes, and while you're up please get me one as well. Thank you, Peabrain," Cheryl addressed without even bothering to look up.

"Me too, Sweets," Fangs smiled up at him as he continued scratching Hot Dog's head, who had somehow ended up on the couch between them.

"Unbelievable," Sweet Pea laughed as he made his way into the kitchen.

A few minutes later he and Jughead returned, a prepared bong and four cans of beer between them. "Here," the beanie wearing boy said as he handed, "you should king the bowl."

"I should _what _now?"

Jughead laughed to himself, "You should do the honors, I mean. Get us going?"

"Right, I… I knew that's what that meant." Cheryl accepted the glass piece and stared at it momentarily in confusion. "Jug, um… can you… explain how…"

"Here," he stopped her, taking it back and kneeling down in front of the redhead.

"Wait, so you bought the thing but don't know how to use it?" Sweet Pea laughed as he plopped down in the unclaimed armchair. He handed Fangs a can before opening his own.

"Hey, everyone's gotta start somewhere," Jughead scolded before turning his attention back to Cheryl. "Put your mouth here then light it like normal. Once this part fills up with smoke, pull out the bowl part. Make sense?"

"Sounds easy enough," she affirmed, taking it back from the boy. Cheryl did as instructed with ease, but the second the smoke filled her lungs she began to cough violently.

"That was a good one," Fangs observed, taking the glass for himself. "You good?"

She nodded as she covered her mouth, desperately trying to regulate her breathing. After only one hit, Cheryl already felt higher than the previous times she had smoked with Jughead. Her eyes were bloodshot and her head felt light. "I'm good."

Jughead handed her a can of beer with a smile. "To a night of firsts, Cher." He tapped his own can against hers before turning around and taking a spot on the floor, his back against the base of the couch.

The group took turns passing the bong around while laughing animatedly. Cheryl was truly having a good time. She couldn't say if it was due to the weed or not, but she was actually enjoying the company.

"Okay, I'm fucking hungry, guys," Fangs said, his head resting on the back of the sofa. "You have anything to eat around here?"

"Oh my God, food yes please," she answered. "I think there's some frozen pizzas in the… the… that door above the refrigerator."

Jughead looked at her incredulously, "You mean the _freezer_?"

"Yes! That's the one!"

The group burst out laughing at her exclamation. Fangs got up and wordlessly made his way into the kitchen in search of food. Sweet Pea placed the bong on the table next to him and followed Fangs out of the room, his stomach leading the way.

"You know… I have to admit," Cheryl looked down at her friend on the flood. "Sweet Pea and Fangs are actually pretty cool. I almost feel bad about ordering to get them beat up that one time."

Jughead turned around forcefully and gaped at her, "The one time you did _what_?"

She waved him off, "Oh, they were _fine_. Barely even any blood."

"I… huh?"

"Hey, Cheryl," Sweet Pea called from the kitchen, "these chips fair game?"

"Whatever you want, Stringbean," Cheryl yelled back.

The boy scoffed, "So, we can't call you Goose, but you can call me random shit? How is that fair? And why doesn't Fangs have a rude nickname?"

"Because he didn't try to have a threesome with my girlfriend," she said under her breath, causing Jughead's eyes to widen.

"What was that?" Sweet Pea asked, not having heard her response.

"Nothing, his name just doesn't inspire any vegetable related humor that's all," Cheryl turned and smiled. "I guess I could call him Tooth Boy, but it just doesn't have a ring to it, ya know?"

"Face it, dude," Fangs laughed, "my name is just cooler than yours."

"Just rude for no reason," Sweet Pea said as he walked back to the living room, his arms full of what junk food he could find. "Goose has no respect for my feelings."

"Goose is going to kick your ass if you keep calling me that," Cheryl fumed. She reached her arm out, motioning at the food in his hands, "Give."

He rolled his eyes and tossed her a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos. "Sheesh, you're demanding aren't you, Red?"

"I'm annoyed, and I'm hungry," she shrugged while tearing into the bag. Cheryl tossed a chip to the dog besides her, whose eyes widened as he eagerly ate it, before popping one in her own mouth. "Mmm, c'est tellement délicieux. Pourquoi n'ai-je pas mangé cela toute ma vie?"

Fangs, who was in the middle of opening his own snack, stopped himself and stared at her, "What the hell was that?"

"Cher, you know French?" Jughead asked.

"Oh, est-ce que je parle en français?"

The beanie wearing boy looked around the room, hoping someone could translate, "Huh?"

"Ha, high Cheryl is fun," Sweet Pea laughed. "Anyone have any idea what she's saying?"

"Dude, I'm flunking Spanish," Fangs shrugged.

"Okay, I know you're stoned as hell right now, but we're really going to need you to try to remember English," Jughead prompted.

Cheryl rolled her eyes, "Incroyable. Would it be _so _difficult for you boys to expand your vocabulaire?"

"And she's back," Jughead exclaimed. "Well, sort of. It's sorta mixed in now, but hey at least we can understand her."

"Vous êtes fatiguant."

"Wait, lost her again," Sweet Pea observed. "So do we just let this run its course or?"

"I said you are all exhausting," Cheryl explained, returning to complete English to her friends' relief.

Fangs shrugged, "Well she isn't wrong."

The timer on the microwave beeped loudly, signalling the pizza was ready. "Thank fuck," Sweet Pea exhaled. "I'm starving, and these Puffs aren't cutting it."

"There's an oven mitt in the drawer à gauche du poêle," Cheryl called after the tall boy as he walked out of the room.

"English!" he yelled back.

She pursed her lips to stifle a laugh. "Left of the stove!"

"Got it," he replied as he pulled it out before opening the oven door. The smell of pizza invaded the small space.

The group ate in silence, each of them too entranced with their food to think about anything else. Cheryl couldn't ever remember enjoying pizza, let alone _frozen _pizza, so much in her life. But then again, she had never smoked cannabis before eating it either. The cheese was gooey, the crust was crisp, and the seasonings were perfect. She made a mental note to pick up a few more from the market next time she was out, not that she expected to remember her plan once sober.

"So... heard you were talking to Storm tonight," Sweet Pea said, breaking the silence once the last slice had been devoured.

"Wait… huh? This is news why? How did you even hear that?" Cheryl looked to Jughead, assuming the information came from him.

Before Jughead could respond, Sweet Pea answered, "Fangs told me."

She turned to her side to look at Fangs, "And you knew because?"

"Taz," he shrugged.

"So my love life is Serpent gossip?" Cheryl huffed and rolled her eyes before taking a sip from the can in her hand.

Fangs laughed, "D'you forget she's my sister?"

She coughed, nearly choking on her beer. The redhead reached up to wipe her mouth. "You have a _sister _?"

Jughead laughed nervously, "She's um forgetful when she's high."

"Heh… right. I… knew that," Cheryl tried to cover. Her mind raced, wondering if this mysterious sibling existed in her reality as well. She knew they had never been close before, so in all likelihood it had just never come up during the handful of times they had hung out. "You just don't… you know," she struggled to find an excuse, "mention her that much?"

"Yeah," Fangs shrugged. "I mean we aren't exactly close." The boy took a drink of his beer before continuing, "She only said something because she saw us all talking at the bar after your… your um… strip thing."

"And thank you for reminding me of _that_, Fangs," Cheryl rolled her eyes and downed the rest of her beer. "Well, I'm out. Another round?"

As she started to get up, Fangs stopped her. "Hey, I got it. Sweets, come help. I want more food too."

"Oh my God, dude, are you helpless?" Sweet Pea scoffed.

Fangs kicked his friend's boot, "Get off your ass."

The two made their way into the kitchen in search of more food and alcohol. Jughead took the opportunity to move off the floor and onto the couch next to Cheryl. He turned to the redhead and sighed. "Okay… I… since they brought it up-"

"What, Jug?"

"Look, Cher, I know you miss Toni," he said, causing her to frown. "Just… please promise me you're not going to let Storm get to you."

"I don't even know the girl," she reminded him. "There's zero chance of her getting to me."

"Okay… okay good," he smiled and leaned back fully onto the couch. "And hey, if you really just need some companionship, Sweet Pea is single."

Cheryl's jaw dropped and she blinked rapidly in confusion. She sat up and turned her body to face him, "Um… Jug, you _do _know I'm _gay _right?"

"Oh thank God," he breathed out. The redhead continued to stare at him, baffled. "I wasn't sure you knew!"

"How could I _not _know?"

"I don't know," he grimaced. "I wasn't sure how to tell you 'Oh, by the way you're gay here,' ya know?"

"You really have _no _concept of how sexuality works do you?"

"Um…" Jughead looked around the room, hoping to get off the hook. "So yeah, Fangs has a sister."

"How are we friends again?" Cheryl asked, rolling her eyes.

The boy shrugged, "You'd be lost without me, and you know it."

"Don't remind me," she huffed. "Hand me that thing," she pointed to the bong sitting on the table where Sweet Pea had left it earlier. "I'm not high enough for this."

"Right," he reached over and grabbed it. "Let me pack a fresh one for you."

"While you do that, explain this sister thing?"

"Okay so Fangs and Taz are half siblings. Same dad, different moms," Jughead explained. "Her parents separated for a bit years ago, but he went back to her mom when she found out she was pregnant with Taz."

"And Fangs comes into this?"

"While they were separated their dad got with his mom and voila, baby Fangs."

"Explaining my tragic backstory over here, Jones," Fangs said, announcing his return. "And you stole my spot." He shook his head and laughed as he handed Cheryl a cold can of beer.

"Sorry, man. You want me to move?" Jughead asked.

"Nah, it's good," he answered as he dropped to the floor. "But yeah, as Jughead explained, my dad is married to her mom. I don't really talk to her much except for holidays or apparently if she thinks her best friend is trying to get back together with my friend."

Cheryl couldn't help but smile at hearing Fangs refer to her as his friend, despite the rest of the story being sad. Suddenly Fangs needing to sell Fizzle Rocks to pay for his mom's healthcare made sense to her. His dad wasn't in the picture because he had a whole other family to worry about. "Sorry to hear that, Fangs."

"It is what it is," the boy shrugged. He popped the tab on his can and took a large drink. "Life's a bitch."

"Understatement of the century," she laughed. "To life being a bitch, but having friends to help you deal with it," Cheryl toasted, opening her own can and raising it up. The boys all mirrored the sentiment before taking a drink of their own. "Didn't you say something about food?"

"Just put that other pizza in the oven," Sweet Pea answered.

"Perfect, should be done after we finish smoking this," Jughead noted as he passed the bong to Cheryl, freshly packed.

She accepted it along along with a lighter, but before she lit the bowl, Cheryl looked around the room. "Thank you all for tonight. It was really nice having you boys here to celebrate with me."

"Nah," Fangs shook his head in protest. "Thank _you _for having us over. It's been a blast. It's… it's been too long."

"I second that," Sweet Pea agreed, tipping his beer towards her. "Now will you stop being sentimental and light that thing?"

Hours later, after the pizza and various bags of chips had been eaten, Cheryl found herself nodding off. The boys were still wide awake, having decided to turn on a movie. They were currently 47 minutes through the DVD copy of Tommy Boy they had found on the bookshelf, and the redhead found it increasingly difficult to keep her eyes open. Somehow she had ended up laying down, her feet draped over Fangs's lap, while Hot Dog had moved to the floor, his head resting on Jughead's thigh as he snoozed.

It reminded her of the days spent at Toni's, when the two of them would fall asleep watching movies in the pinkette's cramped trailer. It reminded her of the nights they spent cuddled next to the fire pit while the boys currently sitting around her drank and traded stories.

Jughead looked over his shoulder to see her eyelids drooping. "You want us to leave, Cher?" he asked.

"No, enjoy the movie," she yawned. "I'm fine."

Cheryl was more than fine, she was comfortable. She was _happy_. Nothing could replace her girlfriend, but somehow, surrounded by these boys, her fellow Serpents, she didn't feel as empty. She didn't feel _wrong_. Things felt more right than they had in weeks. It was almost as if _her _Toni was there with her, watching over her. Maybe, despite not even knowing Toni in this world, these boys were able to give her a tiny piece of her mon trésor back. As Cheryl drifted off to sleep, her mind thought of only one thing, Toni. For the first time in so many nights, she fell asleep with a smile across her lips. Perhaps she could find a place here after all.

* * *

**Notes:**

The song Cheryl danced to at the Whyte Wyrm:  
Supermassive Black Hole by Muse

The song Cheryl danced to with Toni:  
Dance for You by Beyoncé

Song that played after Dance for You ended:  
Love Song by Lana Del Rey


	9. Chapter 9

"Hey, babe."

Cheryl would know that voice anywhere. She turned away from her bedroom wall and saw Toni standing in the doorway, giving her a crooked smile. It wasn't the Northsider Toni she had been avoiding, it was _her _Toni, Pretty Poisons jacket, pink hair, and all. She gasped and sat up, "Toni? Is that really you?"

"Who else would it be?" The shorter girl walked over and sat down next to her, reaching up to cup Cheryl's cheek in her hand. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you," the redhead echoed desperately. "I've missed you so much."

Toni leaned in until their lips met. Cheryl whimpered at the contact, instantly melting into the touch. She had been craving that feeling for so long. The kiss was far shorter than she liked as Toni broke away, her eyes searched Cheryl's for answers. "When are you coming home, Cher?"

"I don't know how," she admitted.

"You've got to fight," Toni told her through squinted eyes. "Why aren't you fighting?"

"All I'm doing is fighting," Cheryl cried. "Every day is a struggle."

"For us, baby," the pinkette sighed. "Why aren't you fighting for _us_?"

"Wha-"

"Don't tell me you've given up," she stared at Cheryl inquisitively. "What's going through that head of yours?"

The redhead sighed, "I'm so _lost_, Toni. I'm just trying to survive."

"That's what you want? A life of surviving… on the Southside… with _Jughead_?"

Cheryl let out a breathy chuckle, "No. I want a life with you. I want to go home."

"So don't give up. Okay, babe?"

The redhead nodded, "Okay."

"Ya know," Toni smirked and tugged at the lapel of Cheryl's jacket, "this jacket still looks good on you."

"_Everything _looks good on me," Cheryl smiled before biting down on her lower lip. "I love you."

"Mm, I love you too." Toni kissed her brow before standing. "I'm sorry, babe, but I can't stay any longer. I've got to go."

Cheryl reached out and grasped her wrist, "No! You can't leave me again."

"You'll see me soon."

"When?"

Toni shrugged, "Monday will be here before you know it."

"That isn't you," Cheryl sighed. "She _hates _me."

"Babe, there's no world or reality where Antoinette Marie Topaz doesn't belong with Cheryl Marjorie Blossom."

"I'm not so sure, TT," she countered. "She… that Toni is the _furthest _thing from you. "

"So remind her who she is," Toni insisted. "Think about where we'd be if I had given up just because the HBIC pushed me away."

"A fair point, mon amour," Cheryl blushed. "Do you really have to go?"

"I do," the pink haired girl sighed, "but I'm waiting for you. Don't take too long, okay?"

"I don't know what to do!"

"Fight for us," Toni said as she began to walk backwards, traveling farther and farther away from the redhead. "Fight for us, baby." The shorter girl disappeared through the open bedroom door.

Cheryl jumped to her feet and ran from the room. "Toni, wait!" The redhead cried out to her, "Toni, come back!" Her eyes searched the trailer for any sign of her girlfriend, but there was none. Once again she was alone.

"Cheryl," a voice said.

"Toni?"

"Cheryl, wake up," she heard the voice again. She couldn't make out to whom it belonged.

"No… Toni…"

"She okay, Jug?"

"Yeah, uh, why don't you guys head out? I'll take care of her."

"Sure thing man. Take care of Red there. We'll see you tomorrow. Come on, Hot Dog."

The sound of the front door closing further pulled her from her slumber. "Hm?"

"Cher, you okay?"

"Jughead? Where… where's Toni? She was here."

"No, sorry, she wasn't. Sweet Pea and Fangs were here. Remember? We were celebrating you getting your jacket? You passed out during the movie," Jughead reminded her.

"It felt so real."

"I know. Let's get you to bed okay?"

Cheryl nodded somberly, "Okay."

He helped her to her feet and assisted in supporting the still semi-unconscious redhead as he escorted her to the bedroom. "You think you're okay to get changed on your own?"

She collapsed onto the bed and pulled her pillow flush against her chest, holding it tightly.

"Or you can just sleep in your jeans. That works too."

"Jug?"

"Yeah?"

"Monday I'm getting my girl back," she told him with absolute certainty. "I'm going to fight for her. You'll see."

"Get some sleep," he smiled as he flipped the light switch, allowing darkness to flood the small space.

"Mmkay," she yawned. "Night."

"Goodnight, Cheryl."

* * *

By the time Cheryl woke on Sunday the sun was already high in the sky. She rolled over and checked her phone to find out it was after 11am. The redhead wasn't used to sleeping so late. Even on weekends, she would typically rise before 8.

Cheryl placed her phone down and rolled onto her back. The redhead sighed and stared at the ceiling. The previous night had been amazing. She earned her Serpent jacket back triumphantly and gained some new, or old rather, friends in the process. Sweet Pea and Fangs were a lot to handle in any reality, but Cheryl was glad to have them in her corner. Yes, everything had been perfect. She had the support of her uncle, Jughead, her friends. Even Toni had commented how good she looked in her jacket.

_Toni._

She sat upright, remembering her dream. It felt so real. Toni had been there, in her bedroom. They had kissed. Cheryl lifted her hand to brush her lips as she reflected on the memory.

_"Fight for us."_

Cheryl knew what she had to do, but she had no idea how. Toni was with Heather, and despite Heather being a royal bitch, Toni seemed happy. She wanted her girlfriend back, but more importantly, Cheryl wanted Toni to be happy… even if it wasn't with her. And yet… the dream brought up something important she hadn't realized.

Since that first day, Cheryl stopped fighting. She had been fighting, sure, but that had been for survival... not for Toni. Rather than fight, she avoided. The redhead ducked her head in the halls, avoided eye contact, generally went out of her way than be near the girl she loved.

Why?

Because she had given up. Just as she had done when Toni had wanted space, she gave up on her and their relationship. It had almost cost her everything that night she walked out of La Bonne Nuit after telling Toni to move out. And now, she realized she was making the same mistakes all over again. Cheryl saw a Toni who wasn't interested, and rather than fight for her girl, she threw in the towel. She was no closer to getting home, but there is one thing she could do… she could get her girl. If her girl wanted her that is...

_"Babe, there's no world or reality where Antoinette Marie Topaz doesn't belong with Cheryl Marjorie Blossom."_

If her Toni was in there somewhere she'd find her. It may take time, but if there was even the slimmest chance of them being together, Cheryl had to try. She knew she had to do something, but _what _was the issue. Toni was happy, right? Cheryl's mind swarmed with conflicting thoughts. Would it be right to break up a happy relationship? It would be selfish, that much she knew.

_I could make her happy… I did make her happy._

Is that Toni even her Toni? Did the poor Cheryl from the Southside have what it takes to make Toni happy? Toni was rich. Toni was popular. And what was Cheryl?

_"Fight for us, baby." _

Toni's voice continued to echo in her mind as she sat on her bed, continuing to reflect. The dream had felt _so _real. For that reason, the redhead knew she had to listen to it.

_"So remind her who she is."_

Cheryl thought about the differences in this reality. Everything was different, and yet, everyone was still themselves. Jughead may be more tolerable, but he was still Jughead. Sweet Pea and Fangs were still their goofy, annoying selves. Archie was still the knight in shining armor. Heather was still a bitch. Jason had died young; her father once again responsible. Both her vial parents were criminals. So many things were the same. Then Cheryl thought to her uncle, who was saint compared to the Claudius she knew. Which was Toni? Was she like their friends or Claude? Who was she here? How could Cheryl remind her who she was when she didn't even know who that was?

"I do know," she thought aloud. Of course Cheryl knew. She always knew _exactly _who Toni was. Toni was the girl who broke into a gay conversion center to save her. Toni was the girl who brought her tea and fought for their relationship after Cheryl literally had exiled her from the school. Toni was the girl who patiently waited until Cheryl was ready to be physical. Toni was the girl who held Cheryl in her arms as the redhead recounted tales of Nick St. Clair and Sweetwater River.

_"Think about where we'd be if I had given up just because the HBIC pushed me away."_

"She's me," Cheryl exhaled.

The walls.

The mask.

The facade.

Cheryl knew them all too well. It took Toni to break them down… maybe that's what she needs. Someone to show her it's safe to be herself, what Toni had been for her.

She thought of _this _Toni… the Toni who shoved her, who called her trash, who was responsible for the neverending bullying. Could they be the same? Was her TT in there… somewhere? Cheryl thought of lingering glances and a glimpse of dyed blonde hair leaving the bathroom after makeup wipes had mysteriously appeared.

A smile flickered upon her lips… there was hope.

* * *

The rest of Sunday dragged slowly. Cheryl had spent the day in the trailer impatiently watching the minutes pass. She was happy of her new jacket and place within the gang, but the redhead's only concern now was getting to Monday morning. There was no telling what was waiting for her, but she knew Toni would be there. And after that dream all she wanted to do was see her.

Talking to her would be another matter entirely. Cheryl wasn't sure that's something she was ready for just yet. It couldn't be a random greeting in the hall or lunchroom; she needed to wait for an opening. It would happen, she had faith... maybe not that day or the day after… but eventually. It _had _to.

But as much as she was looking forward to seeing Toni, Cheryl had another reason to be excited for the start of the week. Her plan could finally come to fruition. She had the Serpents. She had the jacket. Now… now, she needed the chaos.

Cheryl didn't need to wait long. Chaos found her before the morning bell had even rung. She was near her lockers, just having finished getting her books. The redhead had instructed Jughead not to linger this morning, knowing it may defer Heather from approaching her. She wanted to be alone, since that's when her tormentors always seemed to strike. However, this time she was hardly defenseless. Her back rested against the cool metal of her locker as she waited, growing increasingly annoyed as each minute passed.

Students passed by her on the way to their morning classes, but Cheryl remained in position. Sooner or later the girl she waited for would inevitably make her appearance. She huffed as she looked either way down the long hallway. A smile crossed her cherry lips as her eyes located a certain blonde making her way into the school.

"_Do you have a death wish or are you just stupid?! _" Heather's voice boomed down the hall.

_Showtime._

"Whatever do you mean, Heather?" Cheryl faked ignorance.

"What did I tell you about wearing that color in _my _school?" she questioned, demanding an answer.

Cheryl pursed her lips and shrugged mockingly, "I hardly think this is _your _school."

"Are you deranged? I could _kill _you," the blonde hissed.

A sickeningly sweet smile appeared on her face as Cheryl stepped closer to Heather. "Then, by all means, try it."

Heather huffed in annoying. "You think things are bad now? They're going to get _so _much worse. You're not protected, and I have the Vixens _and _entire football team behind me." She took a step back and gave an insincere smile. Her voice dripping with insincerity as she spoke, "Sweetie, lose the jacket and wipe off your face before I _make _you." The last words had spat from her mouth like venom.

"I'm not letting you control my life anymore. Not my past, and _certainly _not my present. You may have this school fooled from seeing the monstrous succubus you are, but not me."

Those in the hall had begun to stop to watch the confrontation. Some seemed concerned, while others waited in anticipation, hoping for a fight to break out.

"And you're wrong about one very important thing," Cheryl smirked. "I am protected. You see... no Serpent, stands alone."

"You aren't a Serpent, no matter _how _much you smell like one," Heather sneered.

"Where are my manors? We've been talking, and I neglected to ask how _you've _been. Oh, how incredibly rude of me," Cheryl started, "I haven't even asked you about your weekend. Was it good? Did you do anything special?"

"Wha-?"

She smiled, "I'm trying to be friendly and ask how your weekend was. Did you do anything?"

Heather's face furrowed in confusion. "Mine was fine," she answered, confusion lacing each word. "I think you must have spent _yours _getting a lobotomy."

"No," Cheryl laughed, "but now that you brought up mine-" She took a step back, raised her hands, and snapped. From either side of the hallway Serpents stepped out in to the hall, forming a wall behind the redhead.

"As if you weren't enough of a loser already," Heather laughed mockingly. "You think _this _saves you? I'm not afraid of you people." The blonde's eyes darted between the numerous Serpents lining the hall. She stood her ground. "If it was up to me, you'd all be gone. Scum doesn't belong in this school, and some fancy jackets won't change that."

"Want to try saying that again?" Sweet Pea called from behind Cheryl. He pulled his switch blade out of his pocket, opened it, and held the knife up to ensure the girl would see it.

Heather glared, rage filling her eyes. She looked back to Cheryl, bitterness apparent upon her face, "Your guards can't always be with you."

"In unity there is strength, Heather," Cheryl sneered.

"In unity there is strength," she heard the Serpents behind her repeat in unison.

The redhead took a step closer closer to the other girl. There eyes locked in an intense gaze, neither wanting to show a moment of weakness. "I may have been weak before, but that's over now," Cheryl asserted.

The blonde huffed, "You should watch your back."

Cheryl shook her head dismissively. "Oh, Heather," she turned away, allowing the other girl to take in the emerald serpent adorning her back, "I think my back is just fine don't you?" Cheryl looked over her shoulder and smirked. Without giving Heather a chance to respond, the redhead waved her off, "We're done here. Toodles. Bye now."

Heather clenched her jaw in frustration before shoving past Cheryl. "Move," she snapped at the line of Serpents causing Sweet Pea and Fangs to roll their eyes before stepping to the side so the girl could storm past.

"I did it," Cheryl exhaled, watching proudly as she watched Heather travel further away. With the Serpents behind her, giving her strength, she was able to stand up to her bully, her former best friend turned first love. She beamed as she made eye contact with Jughead. "I did it!"

In the past, Cheryl had always gotten what she wanted through fear or intimidation, something Heather was all too familiar. She had asserted authority in these halls countless times, but this felt different. Better. It wasn't mindless Bulldogs or cheerleaders she had to pay to be her friends. No, now she had _true _support. She had respect. The pride surging through her felt better than she could have imagined. As she looked at her fellow Serpents, Cheryl felt the spark within her burn brighter than it had in weeks. The redhead knew it meant one important thing. Cheryl Bombshell was back.

* * *

The day was half over, and Cheryl still hadn't managed to get a glimpse of the one person she craved seeing. As she sat at the lunch table, surrounded by her fellow Serpents, her eyes scanned the cafeteria for bleached blonde hair and caramel skin.

_Where is she? _

She _needed _to see Toni, even from afar. For the last 24 hours all she could think of was seeing her.

_There._

Cheryl's face lit up as she saw her. Her eyes followed Toni as she walked through the lunch room towards her usual table. The redhead tried to ignore the sting she felt as she watched Toni sit down next to Heather and place a kiss on the blonde's cheek.

"You okay, Cher?" Jughead asked.

She turned to face the boy and saw concern across his face. "I'm fine," Cheryl lied.

He gave a tight lipped smile. "Don't let them get to you, okay?"

"Really? If that's your advice, can I assume you're going to follow your own advice and just not let Archie and Betty get to you as well?" she snapped.

"Ouch," Jughead exhaled. "Point taken. Forget I tried to help."

Cheryl sighed, "Sorry… That… that wasn't fair."

"Yeah, maybe, but you were right."

"Still," she tilted her head and looked at him with nothing but sympathy, "that was uncalled for."

"Don't mention it," he shrugged. "By all means," the boy turned to look at Toni's table, "go back to staring longingly." Jughead's eyes widened and turned back suddenly, "Shit. She's looking over here."

"Toni?" Cheryl asks hopefully.

He shook his head, "No, Heather. She's looking over here like she wants to kill all of us."

The redhead scoffed, "I'd like to see her try." She looked over to at the table in question. Cheryl sneered and sent the blonde a wave as they made eye contact, causing Heather to stiffen.

Toni, noticing her girlfriend's reaction, placed her hand on the blonde's shoulder. The two exchanged words, which the Cheryl couldn't make out, before Toni looked over to the Serpents' table as well. The expression on Toni's face eluded Cheryl. She furrowed her brow, trying to decipher it's meaning, but before she could Toni had turned away.

_No, look back, please._

Cheryl continued to watch desperately, hoping Toni would turn back to her once more. The girl, however, was more interested in her girlfriend, as she tried to pull Heather's focus back to their own table. The blonde rolled her eyes at Toni's persistence before fully turning her attention away from Cheryl and the Serpents.

_Damn it._

Toni laughed at something Midge said as she began unpacking her lunch. She turned back to her girlfriend with a smile across her face, her lips moving animatedly in conversation. Heather shook her head in response before cracking a smile. She placed a kissed on Toni's lips before reaching across the table to steal one of Reggie's fries.

Cheryl couldn't look away. Toni looked so happy. Heather wasn't cruel to Toni, just as she hadn't been to herself in their youth. Somehow they fit, and watching it was killing Cheryl inside. Any hope she had felt instantly deflated as a tear escaped from her eye and cascaded down her cheek.

"Cher?" Jughead pulled her from her thoughts. "Hey, look at me."

She turned back and sniffled. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Alright? Trust me, I get it. If anyone here is going to understand watching the person you love happy with someone else… it's me."

* * *

Later that evening, Cheryl found herself relaxing on the living room sofa, feet propped up on the cushions. She flipped the page of her American History book, trying to complete the required reading assignment, as her uncle walked into the trailer.

Claude tossed his keys onto the kitchen counter and exhaled loudly. "Long day. Man am I glad to be home."

The redhead laughed before closing her book in her lap. "Are you hungry?" she asked. "I'm defrosting chicken thighs. They should be ready to throw on the grill in about twenty minutes."

"Sounds great," he responded. Claude walked over next to her and gently tapped on her knees. Getting the message, Cheryl adjusted her position, giving the man room to sit on the couch besides her. "School going alright?"

"Are we making small talk now?" She eyed her uncle incredulously. While she didn't grow up with the man and only knew her version of Claudius for a short time, something told Cheryl he wasn't one for emotional conversations in any timeline.

He shrugged, "Can't I take an interest in my niece's life?"

"Oh… I guess," she smiled. Not since before Jason started dating Polly had anyone in her family really gone out of their way to ask her how she was doing. "School's fine."

"I can tell something is on your mind, Goose. You've been down in the dumps for weeks," he observed, clearly taking more of an interest than Cheryl had realized.

_You would be too if you woke up in a nightmare world where your girlfriend hates you and your only friend is a hobo… even if he's not all bad here._

Cheryl sighed, "I doubt you want to hear about teenage girl drama, Uncle."

"I asked didn't I?"

"You did," she agreed. "Okay… Have you ever cared for someone who acts like they don't want anything to do with you?"

"Have I been _that _absent lately?"

"Not you," Cheryl laughed. "There's this girl... at school… Sometimes I think there's hope and others… I don't know what to do."

Claude nodded, "You tried talking to her?"

"Yes," Cheryl breathed out. "It did _not _end well."

"So let it go," he said bluntly, shrugging his shoulders.

The redhead's jaw dropped; Cheryl couldn't believe what she was hearing. How _dare _anyone suggest she let it go. "What?" she snapped.

Claude looked at her sympathetically. With a crooked smile on his lips he said, "Nobody is worth you beating yourself up like this."

"She is," the girl insisted. "I know you don't understand, there's no way you could, but believe me, she is completely worth it."

"Well, if she matters that much to you, fight for her."

_"Fight for us."_

"W-what?" Cheryl's voice faltered. Toni's voice echoed in her head, begging her to fight.

"Look, Goose," he rested his hand on her knee comfortingly, "you can't make someone like you. The world don't work like that. _But _if you say there's hope and you really care 'bout this girl as much as you say… you gotta fight. Sitting around here moping won't fix your problems."

"I know that but..." Her thoughts trailed off to what happened earlier that day. Cheryl couldn't help but think of Toni in the cafeteria, laughing and smiling and… kissing… The redhead's eyes began to water. She took a composing breath before continuing, "What if she's happier without me?"

"Cheryl," she could tell whatever he was about to say was serious based on the way he said her name, "you are the _best _person I know. I can't imagine anyone being happier without you in their life."

"I… uh… t-thank you," Cheryl stuttered, not used to hearing such things from anyone other than Toni.

"Look, I know we don't have a lot of heart to hearts, but if anything is ever botherin' you, I'm _always _here," he pressed. "You know that right?"

"I-I do now," the redhead answered with a smile. She sniffled, fighting the urge to allow the unshed tears in her eyes to fall. Quickly, she reached up and used the sleeves of her hoodie to dry her eyes before they had the chance.

"And as for your girl, what's meant to be will be." When Cheryl nodded he continued, "You gotta go after what you want in life. If you really care for this girl, tell her."

Cheryl sighed, "I can't just tell her… it's complicated, and she's with someone else."

"Well, that does complicate things, but I still see no reason you can't show her the amazing person you are," Claude encouraged. "You never know, maybe she's meant to be with you instead."

_"Babe, there's no world or reality where Antoinette Marie Topaz doesn't belong with Cheryl Marjorie Blossom."_

She took a deep breath and nodded. A water smile graced her lips as she thought back to what Toni told her in her dream. "I suppose that means I'll have to talk to her."

Claude laughed, "Yeah, talking is a good first step." He got up from his seat and looked down at Cheryl, "Alright, I'm starving. May just finish defrosting that chicken in the microwave. You good?"

"Yes," she responded. "I think I am now. Thank you, truly."

* * *

Hours later after the chicken had long since been eaten, Cheryl retreated to her bedroom. The redhead laid on her lumpy, twin sized mattress immersed in thought.

She couldn't help but smile as she replayed the conversation with her uncle. Cheryl wasn't used to having family she could really talk to, not about serious matters at least… not since Jason. It had felt so good to be able to speak with a relative about a girl she liked without being made to feel deviant.

But more importantly, he helped calm the voices in Cheryl's head. The words he had said had reinforced everything Toni had told her in the dream. There was no doubt in her mind; she knew what she had to do.

Cheryl looked up at the ceiling, as if she was speaking to the heavens. She had no other way to get a message home, but it seemed as reasonable as anything else. "I'm going to fight, Toni. I'm going to fight for you. I'm going to fight for _us_."


	10. Chapter 10

Notes:

Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out! If you aren't aware I was working on a collab fic. It is about choni in the zombie apocalypse and available exclusively on AO3. My username is the same there. Be sure to check it out!

* * *

Cheryl woke up with a new sense of purpose, more so than the day before. She was going to fight. Really fight. No more avoiding. She had taken care of her immediate problem, and nothing stood in her way… except Cheryl herself.

"What to wear, what to wear?" the redhead hummed to herself as she rummaged through her closet.

Cheryl wanted something red, but, once again, she was greeted with mostly black. Some of the pieces reminded her of her girlfriend's side of their closet at Thistlehouse. Toni's clothes had more color than the ones before her, most popping with pink or purple.

She took a deep breath, her hand clutching onto one of the black shirts before her for support. Cheryl struggled to control her emotions, feeling overwhelmed with how much she missed her girl. It only fueled her resolve. Today was a turning point. Something felt different; Cheryl didn't know why, but she could feel it.

After making her selection, a Shinedown t-shirt she choose for the large red, lowercase d on the front, Cheryl went about her morning routine. She took her shower, dried her hair, got dressed, and applied her makeup for the day. A smirk appeared upon her face as she uncapped her lipstick. It was her first time applying her signature color to her lips since her altercation with Heather, and the sense of victory she felt as she painted on the vibrant shade was intoxicating.

"Made some extra eggs for you, Goose," Claude called from the living room.

She returned the cap to the tube and yelled back, "Thank you, Uncle. Have a good day at work."

"As good as can be expected," the man laughed as he appeared in the doorway. "And remember the lunch money I left on the counter this time. Need to stop relying on Jughead to make sure you're fed. Supposed to be my job, and here you are… taking care of me."

"You are doing your best," Cheryl told him. "No one can expect any more than that. And, for what it's worth, I think you are doing a great job."

"Well," Claude exhales, "enough of that. It's too early for all that emotional talk. See you at dinner."

One of the few positives of Cheryl's current predicament was her relationship with her uncle. Apart from Jason, she wasn't used to having family care for her. She loved her brother, and he looked out for her, but it wasn't the same. For the first time since she was a little kid, she didn't feel like a burden.

Cheryl found the eggs Claude had left for her and rolled them into a tortilla for easy travel. She threw on her Serpent jacket and tossed her backpack over her shoulders before grabbing her burrito on the way out, locking the trailer door behind her as she left. When she reached her car, Jughead was already waiting for her.

"You seem happy," he observed.

"Perhaps I am," Cheryl smiled as she tossed him the car keys.

Jughead unlocked the car. He got into the drivers seat and started the engine. When Cheryl joined him in the car, he looked over at her, "And are you going to tell me what has you in such a good mood, or am I supposed to guess?"

"Reveling in yesterday's victory," she gloated. "Perhaps things are finally on track."

The boy plugged his phone into the adapter and selected his usual playlist. "Hey, I don't have to worry about you getting your ass kicked between classes anymore," he said as he pulled away from the curb. "I call that a win."

"And to celebrate," Cheryl smirked before grabbing the boy's phone, "I'm putting on something a little less _depressing_."

"Hey," Jughead snapped. "Give that back!"

"Nope," she laughed. "I think _this_," Cheryl tapped her thumb on the screen, "will do just fine." A moment later Josie and the Pussycats' Fear Nothing began playing through the car stereo.

"You get a pass _once_, Blossom," he said with an eye roll. "You know the rules. Driver picks the music, shot-"

"Shotgun shuts _her_ cakehole," she finished with an emphasis on the word her, knowing the original quote had a different pronoun. "You're lucky I put up with your pop culture references, Jug. I feel it's only fair you put up with _my_ music for at least one morning."

Jughead shook his head, a laugh on his breath. He reached forward and turned up the stereo, "If we are going to listen to this, might as well be able to actually hear it."

They continued listening to Josie and the Pussycats the rest of the ride, Jughead even singing along on some of the songs. Cheryl tried not to laugh at the sight of the beanie wearing boy animatedly singing along to Josie's vocals.

He pulled into the parking lot and unplugged his phone. "Okay, so that wasn't _horrible_."

"Maybe he _does_ have taste," she joked.

Jughead shook his head, "I can appreciate variety, but tomorrow we are going back to my music."

"We'll see," she smirked.

"I mean it, Cher," he insisted.

As Cheryl got out of the passenger side of her Tempo, she heard the slamming of a car door from a few parking spots away. Her head jerked towards the noise to see Toni stomping off towards the school.

"Someone's in a mood," Jughead laughed.

"No… something's wrong."

Cheryl hurried into the school, leaving a confused Jughead in her stead. As she made her way inside, she noticed Toni and Heather arguing in the hallway in front of the shorter girl's locker.

"I waited for you for an hour," Toni hissed, hurt apparent in every word.

Heather tilted her head to the side and rubbed a hand up and down Toni's forearm. "Sorry, T. Something came up."

"Bullshit," she countered, shrugging Heather's touch off her arm.

"Baby," Heather whined, "you know I didn't want to miss our breakfast date."

"And you couldn't have texted me and let me know? I just waited there like an ass, Heath!"

The taller blonde pouted, "Let me make it up to you. Please? After our date tonight… you'll forget _all_ about this morning."

Not wanting to hear anymore of what Cheryl could only interpret as foreplay, she walked past them to her own locker. As quickly as she could, Cheryl grabbed her History book and copy of Macbeth before shoving her backpack into her locker and excusing herself without a word.

_So much for fighting, Cheryl. Is that all you can do? Pathetic._

* * *

Cheryl couldn't help but go over the fight she saw repeatedly in her mind. Her eyes drifted over to the back of the girl's head, bleach blonde locks falling down her back. The pain in Toni's voice echoed in her mind, the tone in which the words had left her mouth. It was all too familiar. That was the same way _her_ Toni argued when she was upset. They had enough spats prior to their brief separation for her to know what it sounded like when the girl was trying to hide how she truly felt.

It helped fuel the redhead, giving her more encouragement that there really was a Toni she knew under that bitchy exterior. There was someone _worth_ fighting for behind the mask. Cheryl had been scared of selfishly breaking up a healthy, functional relationship, even if she knew in her heart she was far better for Toni than _anyone_ else, _especially_ Heather, but perhaps Toni needed saving as much as she did.

"Is everyone prepared for Thursday's test?" Miss Rollins asked the class, pulling Cheryl's attention from her thoughts. "If you aren't, now is the time to ask." Dilton Doiley raised his hand. "Yes," she answered, pointing towards his seat.

"The syllabus says something about a final project, but we haven't discussed anything," he said.

She smiled, "It's nice to know some of you pay attention to that. You are right, Dilton. There will be a final project for this class, worth 30% of your grade. We will be going over that on Monday. For now, just focus on studying Macbeth to pass this week's test."

"Can you give us any direction so we can get started over the weekend?" Dilton asked.

"Afraid I can't," Miss Rollins explained. "We will hit the ground running next week though. Just wait. Now, does anyone have any questions about the _test_?"

Midge raised her hand, immediately listing off a series of questions she had prepared. Cheryl shook her head absentmindedly, not understanding why her classmates didn't pay better attention during the discussions.

The redhead returned to her mental rabbit hole, once again falling down a spiral of what ifs and maybes. Cheryl couldn't help but think about how _deep_ the hurt in Toni's voice was, and she wondered if that was the first time there had been an argument like that. She needed to find out, and luckily, Cheryl knew just who she could ask.

* * *

"I need to talk to you," Cheryl said as she slammed her lunch tray down in front of Jughead.

The boy flinched, "Jeeze, Cher, what did your lunch ever do to you?" He took a large bite of his burger, shaking his head as he chewed.

She sat down at the table, "You saw them fighting this morning, right?"

"Who?" Jughead asked before biting into his food once more.

"Toni and… you _know_ who, Jug," she seethed. "You saw too, didn't you?"

"I don't really pay attention to the affairs of Northsiders," he responded. "Present company excluded."

"I don't really fit that description at the moment, but I appreciate the sentiment," Cheryl scoffed. "Now, can you _please_ take this with just an ounce of seriousness?"

Jughead sat his burger down on his tray and leaned back, straightening his posture, "Okay. You have my undivided attention. This better be important; I stopped eating for you."

"I assure you, this is of the _utmost_ importance," the redhead stressed. "This morning Toni and Heather were fighting. That's why she stomped into the school. Remember?"

"Yeah, she was in one of her _frequent_ moods."

"How frequent?" Cheryl asked with bated breath. "Please, this is important."

"I don't know," the boy shrugged. "Frequent enough."

"So they aren't happy?" she asked, hope in her voice. "They aren't some perfect high school couple that would make me a villain to even contemplate breaking up?"

"Cheryl," Jughead sighed, "you need to let this go. You're going to get yourself hurt."

"Absolutely not," Cheryl pressed. "I'm already hurting. Every day I'm hurting. Sure, things are better now. I have my jacket and my place with the Serpents, but something is missing, Jughead, the most important thing."

He shook his head dismissively, "If you say so. Either way, just be careful. Alright?"

"Of course," she assured.

Cheryl turned her focus away from her friend to Toni's table. A small smile crossed her lips as she gazed longingly upon the girl. She blocked out everyone else, just focusing on her. There was no Heather, no Reggie, no Midge or Moose, no Tina or Ginger. It was just Toni.

_Please still be you in there._

"You gonna eat that?" Jughead asked.

Cheryl scoffed and turned back to him, "Could you not tell I was having a moment, Jones?"

"A stalker moment?"

She squinted her eyes at him in frustration before stabbing her pasta with her fork, hoping he got the message.

"Mature," the beanie wearing boy laughed.

Cheryl took a bite of her food and shrugged. After swallowing, she responded, "I have absolutely no idea as to what you are referring."

* * *

"Alright, class," Ms. Kandinsky called, pulling everyone's attention to the front of the room, "continue working on your assignments. We will have a peer review on Thursday."

Cheryl began to collect her drawing pencils. The redhead had been relieved to learn that was an interest she shared with her alter ego. She had found a small assortment of drawing supplies in her backpack. The idea of completing her art assignments with standard no. 2 pencils was unfathomable. The collection was no where what she was familiar with, but Cheryl had enough to create something she could deem satisfactory.

She deposited her pencil case and drawing pad into her backpack before standing up to leave. Before she could reach the door, Ms. Kandinsky called to her.

"Miss Blossom, can I speak to you for a moment?"

Cheryl nodded with a weak smile before walking over to her teacher's desk. "Is there a problem, Ms. Kandinsky?"

"Not at all," the teacher assured. "I just wanted to say how impressed I've been with your work lately. You've consistently shown a passion for the medium, but these last couple weeks feel different. I'm not sure what changed, but keep up the good work."

"Oh," the redhead chirped, "I… I will. Th-thank you."

"Of course, and I won't keep you," Ms. Kandinsky said. "I'm sure you have another class to get to."

"I do," Cheryl responded. "Thank you again."

She left the room with a smile upon her cherry red lips. Since her encounter with Heather the day before, no one had bothered her; she could finally walk the halls in peace, no matter what color she was wearing.

The redhead dipped into the bathroom on her way to history, wanting to check her makeup before her next class. She stiffened when she saw who was standing in front of the sink furthest from the door.

Part of her wanted to turn and run, but she promised herself she'd fight.

And, in a way, she promised Toni too.

Cheryl cautiously approached the sinks. She put a few between them, getting as close as she could without fear of Toni yelling at her. Her ears perked at the sound of sniffles, and she turned her head abruptly towards the other girl only to find tears streaming down the blonde's face.

"Toni, oh my God," she ran over to her, putting her hand on the girl's arm. "Are you okay?"

The blonde blinked at her in surprise before a look of disgust crossed her face, "What the hell are you doing?"

"I-"

"Get your _scummy_ Serpent hands _off_ me," Toni barked.

Cheryl instantly dropped her hand. "I-I," she stuttered. "Sorry." The redhead backed away, inwardly kicking herself for forgetting their dynamic for even a brief second.

_"Think about where we'd be if I had given up just because the HBIC pushed me away."_

Remembering her dream, Cheryl stood her ground. "I saw you crying… I was worried."

Toni scoffed, "Yeah right."

"I was," the redhead insisted. "Toni, are you okay? You… you can talk to me. If you need someone to talk to, I'm here.

"Why do you even care?" the blonde asked, the bite in her voice lessoning. She grabbed a paper towel from the dispenser and wiped her face. "I've been nothing but awful to you."

"I just do," she said, trying to keep her voice from cracking. "Trust me; I care more than you could imagine."

"Yeah, well… you shouldn't," Toni sighed.

"I don't think it's possible to stop now," Cheryl replied. "Plus… it seems like you could use someone to talk to, and well… I'm the only one here. But, no pressure."

The shorter girl huffed, "You know what… fuck it. You _really_ want to listen to my relationship crap?"

_Not particularly, but I'm not about to give up a chance to talk to you._

"I'm here for whatever you need," Cheryl assured.

Toni nodded and pursed her lips. She leaned against the wall and ran her hand through her hair. "Um… I guess she just keeps blowing me off lately," she sighed. "I know you heard what happened this morning. I saw you in the hall."

_She noticed me._

"I did."

"Well, that wasn't the first time." Toni's eyes crinked as she tried not to start crying again, "And she just canceled our date for tonight too."

"You don't deserve that."

"It's whatever," the blonde shrugged, looking down at her feet.

Cheryl shook her head, "It's not."

Toni took a shaky breath and lifted her head, making eye contact with Cheryl. "It's just… Do you have any idea what it's like for the person who's supposed to be with you to act like they want nothing to do with you?"

"I know that feeling all too well actually," Cheryl answered, her eyes beginning to water as well.

"Oh… well… um," Toni struggled to find a response. "I'm sorry too."

"Thanks."

The two stood in silence for a few moments, neither knowing what to say next, until the school bell rang. "Shit, I've got to get to class," Toni panicked. She turned to the mirror and did her best to clean up her appearance. "Thanks… ya know… for talking to me," she said, looking at Cheryl through the mirror. "I didn't really deserve it… after…"

"Don't mention it, Toni," Cheryl assured. "If you ever need me, for _anything_, I'm here. Okay?"

Toni nodded and flashed her a watery smile, "Thanks, Cheryl."

* * *

"It's still _her_, Jug," Cheryl exclaimed, a huge smile across her face.

"Cher…"

"It is… there's this layer of rich bitch surrounding her, but _my_ Toni is in there," she continued. "I saw it."

The boy exhaled and gave her a sad smile. "I know you _think_ you saw it, but she's been nothing but a bitch to you. I don't want you to get your hopes up."

"I'm not imagining it," Cheryl pressed. "Her walls are up, just like mine were before _she_ broke them down."

Jughead nodded in response. "I'm just worried about you getting hurt."

"I could be stuck here, wherever here is, _forever_. Since I woke up in that trailer, I've been hurting," she told him as tears began to sting her eyes. "Every moment without her hurts. I'm starting to think I'm never going to find a way back home. This place is _hell_, no offense, but there's one thing I know… if I am stuck here, the only way I can survive it is with Toni."

"You really love her don't you?"

Cheryl closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. As her eyes fluttered open she looked at Jughead with a watery smile, "I love her with my whole heart."

"Well then," he stood up and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "let's get your girl back."

"You'll help me?"

"Of course. What are friends for?"


	11. Chapter 11

It was a day Cheryl was both looking forward to and dreading all at once. Today was the day she would receive her Serpent tattoo. She was scared, having never had a tattoo before. It was another aspect of the initiation she had avoided the first time around. Not that she hadn't intended to get one.

Cheryl had gone on her iconic cross country road trip with Toni two days after receiving her jacket, and she had fully planned on getting hers after returning, but with the chaos of Archie's prosecution, it was postponed. And then… and then there was no need for a tattoo anymore.

This time was different. She had done every aspect of her initiation by the books, and her tattoo would be no exception. After school she and Jughead were going to Lorimer Body Shop to make her initiation official.

Before, Cheryl would have been concerned about marking her flawless body with such an adornment, but that was no longer an issue. She had scars; she had piercings. Her body was no longer the unblemished vessel it once was.

"You nervous?" Jughead asked on the drive to school.

She shrugged, "Perhaps a little. I know this body is used to needles, but I am not."

"You've got this," he told her matter-of-factly.

"I appreciate the vote of confidence," Cheryl said with a smile as she watched the houses they passed zoom by the window. "It's just slightly daunting."

"You know where you're getting it?" he asked.

Cheryl nodded. She knew exactly where she was getting it, but she didn't want to say it aloud just yet. "I know exactly where I'm getting it. I always have."

* * *

Ever since their encounter in the bathroom, Cheryl had been looking for opportunities to talk to Toni, but she didn't want to push it. Not to mention, Heather was _always_ around. The girl may not have it out for the redhead anymore now that she was protected by her Serpent skin, but Cheryl didn't want to give her any reason to resume her torment.

Nothing was happening, much to Cheryl's dismay. Toni was as just as cold and distant, clinging to her girlfriend's side. It wasn't like Cheryl expected to win her affection overnight, but she had expected _something_.

She stood by her locker, listening to Toni and Heather talk about their weekend plans. They were going to Shadow Lake. Heather's parents had a cabin. It was going to be the perfect weekend.

Cheryl was going to be sick.

The redhead shoved her backpack into her locker a little too aggressively, causing her pencil case to become dislodged. The impact caused the old case to break open, and her drawing pencils scattered.

"Perfect," she scolded under her breath. Cheryl bent down and began to collect her fallen items when a hand offered her a stray pencil.

"This rolled over to my locker," Toni smiled. "Here."

Cheryl stared at her slack jawed. "Th-thanks," she stuttered as she accepted the offered pencil.

"Oh my God, Toni," Heather scoffed. "You're helping it now?"

"Sorry," Toni mouthed, causing Cheryl to laugh. She rose to her feet and went back to her girlfriend.

"Walk me to class?"

Toni glanced at Cheryl for a moment before turning her attention back to Heather. "Yeah. Let's go, babe."

It wasn't much, but it was a start. Cheryl picked up the rest of her drawing supplies with a smile plastered across her face.

* * *

"Cheryl, wait up," Sweet Pea called to her as she gathered her books. "Excited for tonight?" he asked.

She shrugged, "As excited as one can be about having dye injected into their flesh I assume."

"Right…" Sweet Pea laughed.

The pair walked from Chemistry to lunch together. They had grown closer in the week since her initiation. He was mostly infuriating, but the redhead was in no place to be picky with her friends. Cheryl actually found herself enjoying the boy's friendship.

The rest of the Serpents were already sitting at their usual table by the time they arrived. Jughead was halfway through his first burger when Cheryl sat down besides him.

"Aren't you hungry?" he asked, his mouth full of food.

Cheryl shook her head, "She talked to me."

"Okay?" Jughead asked, confused about what his friend was talking about.

"She _talked_ to _me_," she repeated. "Toni. She talked to me this morning."

"Oh," he nodded. "Congrats?"

"_And_ she helped me," Cheryl smiled. She bit down on her bottom lip, a feeble attempt to control the grin from encompassing her entire face. "I told you it was her, Jug. I _knew_ it!"

"That's great, but seriously, Cher, aren't you going to get lunch?"

She scoffed, "I swear all you ever think about is food."

"I thought that was common knowledge," he laughed before popping a fry into his mouth. "Happy for you though."

"Thanks."

The sound of a tray clattering pulled their attention to the other side of the crowded cafeteria. It was as if everyone stopped what they were doing to focus on the source of the noise. At the center of the commotion was Heather, smirking as she looked down at Ethel. The red haired girl was sprawled on the tiled floor, her lunch tray and food scattered a few feet away.

"Guess she's moved on to someone else," Jughead cringed.

Cheryl sighed, "Better her than me."

The boy's jaw dropped, "Cher!"

"Ugh," she scoffed. "_Fine_!" Cheryl got up from the table and marched over to where Heather was laughing, still taunting poor Ethel as she attempted to clean up her ruined lunch.

"Oh please," Heather sneered. "We both know I did you a favor. You do _not_ need those carbs. You should be thanking me."

"You really have something against redheads don't you, Heather?" Cheryl asked.

"Just helping the," the blonde paused, "the less fortunate. You'd know all about that wouldn't you?"

Cheryl shook her head and scoffed at the accusation. "Just because you live some sad, _pathetic_ life doesn't give you the right to release your hate on others."

"That jacket doesn't scare me, Blossom."

"It should," Cheryl explained with a confident grin. She took a step back and snapped her right hand. Every Serpent stood from their seats, some even standing upon their chairs or the tables. The numbers were massive. "From this moment on, _all_ students of Riverdale High are under our protection from the likes of you. If I so much as hear a _whisper_ that you've been tormenting any one of my friends, Serpent or not, you will be in for a world of hurt. Is that clear?"

Heather seethed in anger. Cheryl could feel the rage emanating from the blonde's body and basked in her victory. She knew she had gotten through; she knew she had won.

"You don't know who you're dealing with," Heather said, her voice unsteady.

"I know _exactly_ who I'm dealing with, and you aren't as strong as you think you are," Cheryl said. "I know who you are under that mask you wear. I know your family. I know everything about you, all your deepest, darkest secrets. I won't tell you how I know, but I know. And it's time for you to be reminded that you aren't invincible."

It was then that Toni walked into the cafeteria, her lunch tray in her hands as her eyes widen in shock. Once again her girlfriend was at odds with the Serpents.

Cheryl looked over to her for a moment before turning back to Heather, "You have some people here fooled, but I am not one of them, not anymore. One day everyone will see you for the cretin you truly are."

Heather blinked wordlessly before pushing passed Cheryl to join Toni.

"What the hell happened?" Cheryl could see Toni asking, though she could not hear due to the distance.

She turned her attention back to Ethel. Cheryl extended her hand to the girl and helped her up. "You okay?"

"Just a little shaken up."

"You need help cleaning up this mess?" she asked.

Ethel shook her head, "I've got it from here, Cheryl. Thank you."

Cheryl smiled. She remembered that first day she encountered Heather in the halls and how it was Ethel who ran to her side to make sure she was okay. It felt like they had come full circle. With that in mind, Cheryl asked the girl the same question she had been asked those weeks ago, "What about a hug?"

Ethel nodded, and Cheryl embraced her. She hoped that would be the end to the reign of terror Heather inflicted upon the school, and if it wasn't, Cheryl knew her friends would be there, having her back to help put a stop to it once and for all.

* * *

Neither the triumph of her morning with Toni nor her encounter with Heather were enough to trump Cheryl's anxiety. When the day ended, she met Jughead outside the school so the boy could drive them to the tattoo parlor. As they got closer to their destination, her heart beat faster and faster.

"You okay?" he asked.

Cheryl shook her head, "I think I'm going to be sick. Are we sure I have to do this?"

Jughead laughed, "Yes. Trust me; it's not as scary as it seems."

"If you say so."

They pulled in front of Lorimer Body Shop just in time for her appointment. Jughead had to nearly drag her out of the car and inside the establishment. A Serpent named Razor greeted her as soon as they entered.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Not even in the slightest," Cheryl said honestly.

Jughead chuckled, "Someone is a little nervous."

"Believe it or not," the heavily tattooed man said, "I was too before my first. Once you get one they become addicting. Look at me now."

Cheryl whimpered. "Jug," she pleaded.

"Come on, Cher," he pressed. "You've _got_ this."

"The boy speaks the truth," Razor said. "I watched you with Rumple. Trust me, girlie, my needle is nowhere near as bad as that fucker."

"Okay," she squeaked. "I've got this. I can do this."

"That's the attitude," Jughead encouraged. "Now march back there and get your tattoo."

"I've got this," Cheryl repeated once more as she followed Razor into the back room and out of sight.

* * *

"To Cheryl!" the group cheered. She sat around a bonfire with Jughead, Sweet Pea, Fangs, and three other younger Serpents Cheryl didn't know personally.

It was a night of celebration. Their newest initiate was now a full fledged member, tattoo and all. The group raised their drinks to cheers the redhead who was still in slight disbelief this was for her.

"Well, let's see it, Red," Sweet Pea urged.

Cheryl shook her head. "It's not in a place I feel comfortable sharing," she said, blush spreading across her pale face.

"Oh shit?" the tall boy asked. "Is it on your ass or something?"

Cheryl scoffed, but before she had a chance to respond, Jughead interjected, "Do you ever think before opening that mouth of yours?"

"What? She said it wasn't in a sharing place," he reminded. "Inquiring minds want to know."

"It's on my side," Cheryl explained, pointing over her clothing, "right about here." She had chosen that place for one specific reason: it's where Toni's tattoo resided.

"I'm sure it looks great, Cheryl," said Fangs as he pulled a bag out of his pocket. "Now, who wants to get high?"

The bag in question consisted of five pre-rolled blunts, waiting to be lit. He lit one, putting the remainder on the ground beside him, before passing it to Cheryl, who was sitting to his left.

She placed the blunt in her mouth and inhaled, smoke instantly filling her lungs. The taste of the wrapper was foreign, having only smoked from glass so far, but not unwelcome. Cheryl blew the smoke out and coughed, feeling a warmth spread throughout her body.

"Thanks," she said to Fangs before passing it on to Jughead.

"Come on," one of the other Serpents said. "Drinking games, let's go!"

"Sorry about Nitro," commented Sweet Pea, giving Cheryl a name to call the curly haired boy. "We sort of promised there would be a round of Secrets and Sins."

"I'm down," Jughead coughed, passing the blunt to the next person. "But can we do Never Have I Ever? I actually know how to play that one."

"Never have I ever not known how to play one of the most basic drinking games known to man," Fangs smirked and waited for Jughead to drink.

"Touché," responded the beanie wearing boy as he took a large drink from his beer can.

Sweet Pea went next saying, "In honor of our newest recruit, never have I ever gotten so fucked up I forgot what language I'm speaking."

Cheryl glared at him as she brought the beer can to her lips. She went next, retaliating with, "Never have I ever mocked someone for being my intellectual superior."

Jughead and Fangs burst out laughing as Sweet Pea downed the rest of his beer. Two of the other Serpents drank as well, Nitro and a scrawny blonde haired boy.

The game went around the circle for three rounds before the group moved on to Secrets and Sins. Jughead learned the rules fast, being that the only rule was to expose each others dirty laundry. The second Sweet Pea brought up the nickname Claude had given Cheryl, the redhead all but demanded they move on to a different game.

Next up was a game called Grab on Behind. It had been suggested by Mouse, the blonde boy. "Ant," he started, going first since it was his idea.

The game was simple, say a word beginning with the last letter of the previous word. If you mess up, you have to drink. It quickly became Cheryl's favorite due to the thought process involved. She couldn't help but imagine how much fun it would be to play back home with Toni.

"Train," said Sweet Pea.

Fangs went next, "Nine."

"Elephant," shouted Cheryl, a little louder than she would have sober.

"Telemarketer," Jughead laughed.

The game continued. Nitro was the first to mess up after "box" was said by Toothless, the last member of the group. The boy had all his teeth, instead named that due to his love of DreamWorks Animation's How to Train your Dragon. Fangs was the next to drink, followed by Nitro, then by Jughead.

Eventually the games died down and Nitro, Mouse, and Toothless all made their exits. Cheryl didn't mind their company but found it nice when the group was only those she considered her friends.

Fangs picked up his bag. He handed out the remaining four blunts, one for each of them. They tapped the rolled cannabis together in the same way someone would clink glasses of wine in a toast before passing the lighter around.

"This was fun," Cheryl reflected as she took a puff from her blunt.

Jughead took a hit from his own. "Absolutely," he said as he exhaled, a large puff of smoke leaving his mouth.

Cheryl felt so relaxed, almost melting into her chair as she continued to take hits of her blunt. Jughead leaned over and told her it was medicinal grade indica, but she wasn't entirely sure what that meant. All she knew was that she felt amazing. Nothing could ruin her mood; that was until Sweet Pea opened his mouth.

"Okay," the boy said, putting out his blunt on his arm chair and tucking the unsmoked half behind his ear. "Hottest Northsiders."

"What?" Jughead asked, his eyebrow upturned.

Sweet Pea shrugged, "Well I can't say hottest student, can I? I have to exclude the present company, or you all know I'd win that fight."

"That's likely," Cheryl scoffed, taking another hit before putting hers out as well.

"You doubt me, Goose?" he taunted.

She smirked, "Nous savons tous que je suis la personne la plus chaude à des miles."

"Shit we got her too high," Fangs exclaimed. "She's doing that French shit again."

"Au contraire," Cheryl added. "I am fully aware of what I'm saying. I was just explaining to Sweet Pea that _I_ am the hottest within miles, but I knew he wouldn't be able to understand it no matter what language I used."

"She burned you dude," Jughead laughed. "And I really don't want to play this game."

"I'm ignoring Goose's cruel words," Sweet Pea said with a smug look upon his face. "We all know you would pick ponytail anyways, Jones. I pick Veronica. Seriously, I lucked out with a smokin' lab partner. Did you see her today, Red? That dress? Damn!"

"You are the embodiment of every stereotype about your gender, Peabrain."

Sweet Pea shook his head, "You just like to hurt me, don't you?"

Cheryl averted her eyes as she shrugged and took a sip of her beer. "I assure you, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Likely," he huffed. "Your turn then."

"No, thank you," she responded. "Fangs can go since you are so adamant about this."

"We all know he has a thing for Keller," Sweet Pea said.

"Pea!" Fangs yelled, feeling called out.

The taller boy shook his head dismissively, "Like we didn't all know that already, Fogarty."

Fangs snarled, "Still, cheap shot."

"Whatever," Sweet Pea brushed him off. He leaned forward, meeting Cheryl's eyes, "I want to know Goose's answer. Hottest Northsider? Let's hear it."

"Toni," Cheryl breathed out.

"Topaz?" Sweet Pea blinked his eyes in surprise, sitting back in his seat, "Wow. You like them bitchy."

"She's not really like that," the redhead argued. "You don't know her."

"And you do?" the taller boy questioned, leaving Fangs and Jughead to exchange nervous glances.

Cheryl clenched her jaw, seething, "Yes."

"Leave her alone, Sweets," Jughead interjected before the situation escalated. He knew Cheryl didn't want to divulge _how_ he knew her, and emotions were running high due to the alcohol coursing through their veins. No amount of indica could calm Cheryl when she got heated, and Jughead assumed that was true no matter what reality she came from.

"Just asking a question, Jones," he countered.

Fangs was the next to speak up, "Leave it, Sweets. We are here to _celebrate_. Enough with the fighting. We get you like Veronica, but leave the rest of us alone. Alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," he responded, running his hand through his hair. "Sorry, Red."

Cheryl took a sigh of relief and nodded. She would defend Toni in any situation, but it was hard when she couldn't be honest about why she knew there was a good person under the facade. They were right, Toni here _was_ bitchy, at least that was how she chose to act. Cheryl knew better. Toni had shown her as much. "Apologies accepted, Peabrain."

"A change of subject, guys?" Jughead requested. Everyone nodded in response.

"Anyone got any food?" Sweet Pea asked. "The robo-munchies are probably going to hit soon, and I want to be prepared."

"Who do you think I am, Sweets?" Fangs flipped open his cooler and pulled out a shopping bag filled with single serve bags of chips, peanut butter crackers, cookies, and candy. He took a bag of Doritos for himself before passing the bag to his taller friend.

"My hero!" Sweet Pea yelled as he raided the bag, pulling out an assortment before handing it off to Jughead.

Cheryl eyes the selection when it was her turn, slightly disappointed by the lack of anything with any sort of nutritional value. She grabbed a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, remembering how much she enjoyed them the last time, and returned the bag to Fangs. Not ten minutes later, she asked him to hand her the bag so she could claim the KitKat she had seen during her rummaging.

The minor argument was almost instantly forgotten as the four friends animatedly talked and ate their snacks. After countless bags were devoured, they each lit up the remaining halves of their blunts.

"Glad it's the weekend," Fangs commented. "No way in hell I'm getting up before noon tomorrow." He took another puff of his blunt before throwing his head back over his lawn chair.

"Same, dude," Sweet Pea agreed. "Hey, toss me another bag of Cheetos."

"Out," the boy shrugged. "This is the last one." Fangs smirked as he tossed one of the cheese flavored snacks into his open mouth. "Sowwie," he said as he chewed.

"Ugh, say it don't spray it," Cheryl gagged as she watched the particles fly from his mouth.

"Okay, so share then," Sweet Pea demanded.

"Nah," Fangs said as he ate another.

Sweet Pea got up from his seat and attempted to wrestle the bag from his friend's grasp. Fangs began throwing the remaining Cheetos at Sweet Pea's face, hoping it would satiate the boy.

"Oh that's how it's gonna be then?" Sweet Pea grabbed the bag of Fritos from his chair and began throwing handfulls at Fangs, eventually dumping the remainder of the bag over his head.

Jughead and Cheryl looked at each other, wide smiles upon their faces. "Food fight!" they yelled in unison before joining in, throwing bits of food at their friends.

"Hey, no fair!" the tallest boy yelled.

Fangs grabbed another bag out of his stash, opened it, and began throwing chips in all directions, hitting whoever he could.

It was Sweet Pea who escalated the situation. The boy grabbed a can of beer, shook it aggressively, and popped the tab. Foamy liquid erupted from the can. He aimed it at Fangs, immediately dosing him.

"Fuck you, man!" Fangs yelled as he reached for a can of his own to level the playing field.

Cheryl watched in glee. She couldn't contain the laughter that formed deep within her. She was _happy_. She turned to Jughead and commented, "I can't believe how much I've missed this."

"Getting high and drunk with Sweets and Fangs? We did that last weekend," the boy laughed. "I didn't realize you were _that_ much of a pothead, Cher."

"No," Cheryl corrected with an eye roll. "Well, yes, but I meant being a Serpent. I told myself I didn't, but being here… I can't deny that it was a part of me."

"Well of course it was?" he said the statement as a question, confusion in his voice.

"Watch it!" Sweet Pea yelled as he was hit by an empty beer can launched by Fangs.

"Want to get out of here?" Jughead asked, already grabbing a few extra drinks to take with them.

Cheryl nodded and followed him away from the crowd towards her trailer. Not ready to go inside, the pair walked over to Cheryl's Tempo.

"You'd be surprised how many people believed I only joined for Toni," she explained as they walked. "Maybe part of me did, but it was more than that. I never had an accepting family, apart from JJ. Once I lost him, I was alone. Nana was there of course, but with her dementia she was in and out. There was no constant support system."

"Until Toni."

Cheryl smiled longingly. "Until Toni," the redhead affirmed. "She introduced me to a family who accepted me despite being a Blossom, who protected me no matter what." They reached the car, and the redhead leaned against the front bumper. She took a deep, calming breath.

"I'm sorry," the boy said, hoping his words could partially mend the wounds his alter ego had caused.

"I know you are, Jug," she sighed. "It wasn't you. It wasn't _this_ you. And I can't deny my role in Toni and my banishment. The ruling was unjust, but I supplied the catalyst."

"So," Jughead started, hopping up onto the hood of Cheryl's car, "tell me more about this 'other' you."

"I'm not sure what more there is to say." The redhead moved to join him on the cool metal. She got comfortable, leaning back onto her palms, too high to care if their combined weight could cause any damage to her only means of transportation. "I could not be more different than the Cheryl you know," she answered. "Head bitch in charge, head cheerleader, your typical queen bee."

"That doesn't sound like you _at all_."

"It's hard to be the HIBC when you aren't in charge of anything," Cheryl shrugged.

"Still," he shook his head, "I have trouble believing you were the Heather of your world."

Cheryl's face distorted in disgust, "Absolutely not. I was, nor am, anything like that vulture. I was _never_ a bully. I may have caused chaos on occasion, but I never went out of my way to hurt anyone. Unless, of course, they hurt me first."

Jughead raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"This one time… you, Archie, Betty, and Veronica… you all planned this weekend getaway," she closed her eyes and took a breath. "I had foolishly believed we were friends, but when I asked for the details everyone made it _quite_ clear I wasn't wanted."

"Cher," he exhaled. "You know that wasn't me right?"

"Of course; which is why I trust you won't be angry when I tell you how I retaliated," the redhead hesitated. "While you and Betty are the _it_ couple of Riverdale High, second only to Toni and myself, there was a time when your relationship was fractured. Your breakup overlapped with a serial killer causing terror to our sweet town, and in the heightened emotions of that time, Archie and Betty may have… _kissed_… in my reality."

"Hold on," the boy stopped her. "_Serial killer_? What kind of place are you from again?"

"If only that was as ludicrous as things have gotten," Cheryl laughed. "We have had murders, serial killers, cults, organized crime."

"Holy shit." Jughead downed the rest of his beer before tossing the can to the ground. "And you call _this_ the nightmare world?"

"Yes, in fact. I do."

"Wait, so what did this have to do with hurting anyone? Sounds like Archie and Betty had that covered all on their own," he sighed. "Seems no version of myself can escape that."

"It was _only_ one kiss, from my understanding anyways," she emphasized. "But… if it hadn't been for moi, you wouldn't have known. I made a call and informed you of their little tête-à-tête. I wanted to ruin your _couples'_ weekend as reparation."

"Oh." Jughead was silent for several moments, processing what Cheryl had told him. "Well, I mean, we weren't friends though. Right? If we were, you'd have been invited in the first place. And I like to think you'd never do anything like that to me, well _this_ me."

"I'd _never_," the redhead assured. "I swear to you, Jug. The friendship you and I share is nothing like the relationship with the Jughead back home. I call _that_ Jughead 'Hobo' for a reason."

"Right," the boy chuckled, popping the tab on another can. "So I'm different, and we _know_ you're different. What else is different where you're from?"

"Your dad stopped being the Serpent King and is now the sheriff."

Jughead, who was in the middle of taking a sip of his freshly opened beer, spit out the cold liquid as he struggled not to choke. "I'm sorry, _what_?"

Cheryl shrugged, "Trust me, no one was more opposed than I was. The man did help cover up my dear brother's murder, and then he was given authority over the town's law enforcement. Not that I haven't made peace with him since then, but it still didn't mean I was okay with _that_."

"He did what?"

"Here, JJ died in a methamphetamine laboratory explosion, but at home, my father shot him in the head and hired FP to cover it up." Cheryl pursed her lips in an attempt to contain her emotions as she looked to her friend, "It seems in any reality my parents are responsible for Jason's demise."

"That's… that's awful," Jughead responded, his face contorted in disgust and shock. "And that my dad would have anything to do with it…"

"He's a better man now," Cheryl said, not wanting the boy to think less of his father. FP seemed to be the best version of himself here from what she'd observed. "Plus, in his defense, he was trying to help JJ escape with cousin Polly before… before _it_ happened."

"Right, forgot you said you guys are related. Why were they trying to escape together?" he asked. "Was she in trouble too?"

"She was pregnant with his twins," Cheryl stated casually.

Jughead's eyes nearly flew out of his head, "Hold up. Your brother knocked up your _cousin_?"

The redhead shrugged, brushing the accusation off, "None of us knew we were related at the time. We aren't pro-incest if that's what you're insinuating."

"Wild."

"Indeed," she agreed.

"I've been thinking, Cher," Jughead said, breaking the silence after several minutes. The boy grabbed his beanie in his fist and ripped it from his head before running a hand through his raven black hair. "What if you're like Dorothy?"

"If you're referring to clicking my heels together three times and reciting 'There's no place like home,' I've already tried that," Cheryl scoffed.

He jerked his head to look at her, "Wait, seriously?"

"I woke up in a hell world, Jug," the redhead reminded. "It seemed as plausible a solution as any."

"I mean… I guess you're right," Jughead sighed, sitting up straighter on the hood of the car. "That's not what I was talking about though."

"Then as to what, pray tell, were you referring?"

"This is going to sound crazy," he laughed before taking a drink from his beer can.

Cheryl looked at him incredulously, "This _whole thing_ is crazy."

"Okay, true," The boy took a deep breath before continuing, "Here goes; what if none of this is real? What if this is all in your head?"

"You're right," she said. "That is crazy." Cheryl took a sip of her own can, shaking her head. "So what, _none_ of this is real? _You_ aren't real? Jughead, that makes no sense."

"You're right," Jughead agreed.

"Ugh," Cheryl gagged. "If that was true, it would mean I'm dreaming of _you_."

"Forget I said anything," he laughed.

The redhead nodded, her eyes wide. "Of course," she said, but his words had already become rooted in her mind. There was no forgetting them.


	12. Chapter 12

The rest of the weekend went slower than Cheryl would have liked. She wanted to get back to school to see Toni again; it felt as though she was finally making progress with the girl. She couldn't complain too much, being that she spent Saturday once again getting high with her friends.

* * *

_"Come on," Cheryl whined. "Give it back." She reached for the pipe, which was being horded by Sweet Pea. "Isn't there a rotation rule or something?"_

_"I think she's addicted, Jones," the tall boy called out. "Better keep this away from her."_

_"Pea, share," Fangs ordered._

_Sweet Pea huffed and passed it back to Cheryl, who smiled before taking a hit. She melted into the couch with a smile. "I love you guys," she said absentmindedly._

_"How fucked up is she?" Jughead asked as he walked back from the kitchen, a round of fresh beer in his arms. He quickly handed out the cans before taking his seat next to Cheryl._

_"Fucked up enough to say she loves us, not fucked up enough to start forgetting English," Fangs answered._

_"I do love you guys," Cheryl reiterated. "You are weirdly enough my best friends. I hang out with Swanghead on the weekends! Who would have thought this would be my life? Not me."_

_"What on earth?" Fangs bursted out laughing. "Please never say that again."_

_"Yeah, Goose," Sweet Pea cringed, "we don't need a ship name, but uh… thanks."_

_"What about you, Juggie?" she asked her beanie wearing friend. "Do you hate it too?"_

_"Yes, Cher," he shook his head. "Just drink your beer, alright?"_

_"None of you appreciate my intellect."_

* * *

Monday morning went by as all mornings had. Cheryl woke up, got ready for her day, rode to school with Jughead, and went to class. To her dismay, she didn't see Toni at the lockers that morning, but it didn't dampen her spirits. That afternoon she had English Literature, the one time she was sure to see Toni, even from a distance.

Cheryl sat next to Jughead at lunch, as usual, when Ethel came up to their table. She seemed nervous, but Cheryl had no idea why. She glanced over to Toni's table to find Heather. The taller blonde was shooting daggers at the Serpents. It caused Cheryl to stifle a laugh; it seemed her speech on Friday stuck with the girl.

She turned her attention back to Ethel, "Hey. Is everything alright?"

"Great, actually," the girl answered. "The Bulldogs haven't bothered any of us at all today. Dilton, Ben, and I just wanted to say thank you. We thought it would be best for me to say it… since… well…"

"Since we're friends?" Cheryl asked.

Ethel smiled, "We are?"

"I like to think so," she answered. "If that's okay with you."

"More than okay, Cheryl," the other redhead responded. "I can't believe I'm friends with a gang member. Is it weird that I feel cool?"

Cheryl laughed, "Not at all. It felt pretty cool to me before I joined, even if that friend was Jughead."

"Hey," the boy blurted out. "Cheap shot."

"Doesn't mean it's not true," Sweet Pea said from the other side of Cheryl. "Red sure has moved up in the friends department since those days. Right, Fangs?"

"Don't drag me into this," the boy answered.

Cheryl looked back at the girl, "Was there anything else you needed, Ethel?"

"No," she shook her head. "That was all. See you around?"

"Of course," Cheryl grinned. She watched Ethel walk away before turning her focus to her friends, "I did that. I actually made a difference."

"It's only been a day," Jughead reminded her, "but ya, I think you did, Cher. I really think you did."

* * *

"Good afternoon," Miss Rollins said as she walked into the classroom. "We have an exciting class ahead of us."

"Is this about the project?" Dilton asked, anxious to get started.

"It is," the teacher replied. "I hope you all are excited about this as I am." The comment was met with an astounding grumble throughout the classroom. "Not so much?" She laughed, "That's fine. Maybe I can sway you."

Cheryl sat listening intently, or she tried to, at least. Her attention would often drift to Toni. She'd catch herself staring at the back of her head, thinking about how soft her hair looked and how she longed to run her fingers through it.

"You all have a favorite movie right?" Everyone nodded in response. "Growing up, mine was 10 Things I Hate About You. Have you guys heard of it?"

"Wasn't that inspired by The Taming of the Shrew?" Toni asked.

Hearing Toni speak pulled her back to the present. She straightened in her chair and did best to understand what was going on, not wanting to be ill prepared for the final project.

Miss Rollins smiled widely, "Right you are, Toni. You don't realize it, but you just uncovered the basis for this project. I wanted us all to end the year with something fun. I want you all to take one of the works we have been reading this year and convert it into a modern adaptation."

"You want us to make a movie?" Reggie asked, clearly annoyed.

"A movie, a music video, a song, _anything_," she explained. "I want you to take your work and convert it into something you can relate to, just like Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith did when they wrote 10 Things I Hate About You."

Midge's hand went up. When called on, she asked, "Will we be picking or will you be assigning who works on which play we use?"

"We are leaving that up to fate," she answered. Miss Rollins walked to the front of the room and grabbed the two plastic cups sitting on her desk. The cups had letters written on them in thick Sharpie. "In cup A, I have everyone's names. I will drawing two names at a time to assign the pairs. Then, I will draw from cup B to assign that pairs work. Understood?"

The room nodded, and Cheryl began to stress about who she would be forced to endure working with. She hoped for Toni, but she knew to be realistic. With the way the universe treated her, she'd likely end up with Reggie Mantle.

"First up is," Miss Rollins continued, pulling two pieces of paper from one of the cups, "Midge Klump and Frankie Valdez. They will be adapting," she pulled a piece of paper from the second cup, "The Winter's Tale."

She went through the papers, calling out name after name. The numbers were dwindling down, leaving only Cheryl, Reggie, a boy Cheryl didn't know, and —

"Toni Topaz and Cheryl Blossom," Miss Rollins said, causing Cheryl's heart to stop. "You will be working with Romeo and Juliet."

Cheryl looked over at Toni, her mouth hanging open. The redhead couldn't believe her luck. She would have guaranteed time with Toni. It was everything she wanted for weeks, and the thought forced Cheryl to fight back tears.

"And lastly, Reggie Mantle you will be working with Adam Chisholm on Othello."

For the rest of the period, Miss Rollins went over the specifics for the project, including when it was due and length requirements. She wanted each team to come up with a 3 to 5 minute media presentation. Medium was up to the team, as she had previously stated, and they would present them to the class at the end of the semester.

"Class, don't forget, this will be worth 40% of your final grade," she said as the bell rang.

"You want to meet by the lockers after next period and go back to my place to get started?" Toni asked as Cheryl gathered her books.

The redhead turned to face the other girl. "That sounds amazing," Cheryl smiled. Suddenly she remembered… she carpooled. "Unfortunately, Jughead and I ride together."

"He drives right?"

"Y-Yes," Cheryl stuttered, surprised Toni had noticed.

Toni shrugged, "So, you'll just ride with me, and he can take the car."

"Okay," the redhead responded a little too enthusiastically. She blushed and continued in a much calmer tone. "I mean, that works."

"Cool, see you after next period."

* * *

Cheryl had never enjoyed an art class less. She spent the period staring at the clock, willing the minutes to pass by quicker. The redhead had guaranteed alone time with Toni, and she was determined to take full advantage of the opportunity.

She had already texted Jughead, telling him she was going back to Toni's to work on their project. Her smile had grown with every word she typed. He seemed excited for her, but Cheryl could tell his words were laced with skepticism. The boy was worried about her, and part of her couldn't blame him, but he just didn't know her Toni.

The second the school bell sounded, Cheryl haphazardly tossed her drawing supplies into her case and bolted from the classroom. She beat Toni to the lockers and quickly packed her backpack for the evening. Cheryl finished getting ready to leave in record time. She checked her appearance in her locker mirror, quickly touching up her lipstick and giving her hair a quick brush. The redhead closed the door and leaned up against the cool metal, wanting to appear casual when Toni arrived.

"Hey," Toni greeted as she reached her locker. She opened her door to retrieve her bag and necessary books for the evening. "You ready?"

"Just waiting on you," Cheryl smiled. This was everything she had wanted for weeks. Toni was talking to her in public. They had plans. Maybe things with the shorter girl were _finally_ turning in her favor.

"Is it weird that I'm actually excited about this project?" the blonde asked as they walked to the car.

Cheryl shook her head, "Not at all. I'm excited too."

_It may not be for the same reasons, but I am more excited than you could imagine._

"Rollins was right," Toni continued, adjusting the strap on her backpack, "this does sound like a fun assignment. I haven't been excited about school in a while."

"It does," the redhead agreed.

The pair walked out of the school together, casually talking about the project. Toni led Cheryl over to her car and unlocked the doors.

The shorter girl slid into the driver's seat, and a moment later, the engine roared to life. Cheryl's eyes widened at the sight of the purple LEDs lighting up the interior.

"Your car is beautiful, Toni," Cheryl said as she joined Toni in the car.

Toni shrugged, "It's alright. Thanks."

"There's no need to be modest," the redhead grinned, beyond herself with excitement.

Before pulling out of the space, Toni turned to Cheryl. "I just wanted to say thank you again… for, ya know, helping me last week. I really didn't deserve that, especially from you. So… yeah, thank you."

"It was a pleasure," Cheryl replied quickly. "I meant it, what I said. If you ever need anything, you can always talk to me."

"You're too nice, Cheryl," Toni laughed and turned her attention back to the wheel. She pulled away from the school and reached for her phone. After unlocking it with her thumb, she tossed the device into Cheryl's lap, "Put your number in there so we can keep in touch for the project. Send yourself a text or something so you have mine too."

Cheryl picked up the phone, her heart immediately dropping when she saw Toni's background was a photo of Heather. The redhead did her best to ignore the pain in her chest as she did what Toni requested, focusing instead on having the other girl's number.

They rode in silence, Cheryl doing her best to control the smile on her face by biting down on her bottom lip. She thought about all the things she wanted to say, that she wished she could say. They had a project to do, sure, but Cheryl was more concerned with getting to know this Toni as more than just the mean girl mask she wore. She was —

_No._

She knew this route; she knew these houses.

_No, no, no._

"T-Toni," Cheryl stuttered, "wh-where do you live?"

"That big house at the end of the road behind the gate," the blonde answered. "I know it's daunting from the outside, but my mom has it decorated really homey inside."

_Shit._

Cheryl panicked; she knew full well what house they were approaching. She didn't know why she didn't think of this before. Their lives were reversed. She lived in a trailer on the Southside, and Toni lived in a mansion. As they pulled up to Thornhill's gate, she knew her fears were justified.

_This can't be happening._

She didn't know what to do. The second the car stopped outside the gate, she opened the door and exited, running as fast as she could. Her throat was constricting, and she knew she was having one of her attacks. All Cheryl could do was run. She had left Toni without a word, but at the time it seemed better than facing what she had done.

She had robbed Toni's family.

* * *

Cheryl ran all the way back to Sunnyside. She texted Jughead to meet her at her trailer, and by the time she arrived, panting and out of breath, he was already waiting for her outside the door.

"Cher?" he asked, concerned. "What happened?"

She pushed passed him into the house, immediately heading for her bedroom. He followed and sat down on the bed, waiting for Cheryl to explain.

"I robbed Toni," she exclaimed. "That house? That was _Toni's house_."

Jughead's eyes grew wide, "_What_?"

"Do I tell her? What do I do here, Jug?"

"How could you not know those were her parents?" he asked, genuinely shocked. "Weren't they inside the same time you were?"

"I never met her parents!" Cheryl barked.

"Weren't you guys in love or something?"

Cheryl paced back and forth in the room, trying to calm herself down while anxiously picking at her nailbeds. "Her mom died in childbirth, and her dad spiraled into drugs after. He got in with the wrong people and ended up in federal prison. I'm so sorry I didn't have a way to recognize random voices when I was trying to formulate an escape plan!"

"Just… just don't say anything," Jughead suggested. "It'll only make it worse."

"I'm just supposed to lie to her?"

"No," he clarified, "just… ya know… don't randomly say 'Hey I robbed your house.' Ya know?"

Her phone dinged, and Cheryl pulled it out of her back pocket. She squeaked when she saw whose name was on the notification. The screen had lit up because of a text message from **TT**. Cheryl knew Toni didn't like the nickname here, but it was her phone, and the redhead wanted just the tiniest piece of her life back, even if it was only Toni's name in her contacts.

**TT ****[3:41pm]:** I know why you ran

"She knows," Cheryl yelled.

**TT ****[3:41pm]:** I don't blame you

**TT ****[3:42pm]:** You deserve this in person but just know I'm sorry

"Wait," she said, causing Jughead to look at her with a confused look upon his face. "She… she's apologizing."

"It's about damn time," the boy scoffed.

**TT ****[3:42pm]:** You don't need to be scared to be alone with me

**TT ****[3:42pm]:** I'm sorry Cheryl

Cheryl began typing out a response.

**Cheryl** **[3:42pm]:** It's not what you think. I'm sorry for taking off like that. I had an emergency.

"What kind of emergency involves you running out of a car like a lunatic?" Jughead asked.

She glared at him, "I don't want her to blame herself."

**TT ****[3:42pm]:** I hope everything is ok?

**Cheryl** **[3:43pm]:** It is now. Thank you for checking on me.

**Cheryl** **[3:43pm]:** And for the apology. Consider it accepted.

**TT ****[3:43pm]:** Thanks

**TT ****[3:43pm]:** See you tomorrow_?_

**Cheryl** **[3:43pm]:** See you tomorrow.

Cheryl tossed her phone onto the bed before plopping down beside Jughead. "Okay, so she doesn't know," she said with a relieved sigh.

"Are you going to keep it that way?" he asked.

"Yes," the girl answered. "You're right. Right?"

Jughead shrugged, "I don't know, Cher. I hope I'm right. I just don't want things getting worse for you when they've finally started getting better."

"What you said Friday… none of this is real. If we go with that, I didn't _actually_ rob Toni. This is all just a vivid dream."

"Sure, let's go with that," Jughead nodded.

"Toni would have wanted me to have the money," Cheryl continued. "She'd have wanted me to have hot water and food. She'd have been _happy_ I did it."

"From what you've told me, she would have," the boy agreed.

"Right," the redhead leaned back and exhaled. "I just won't tell her. She's not real; none of this is real. I didn't really rob Toni."

"You didn't really rob Toni," he echoed.

Cheryl groaned, "Except I did."

"Except you did."


	13. Chapter 13

The week went by without event. Cheryl decided not to tell Toni the truth about what she had done. The redhead didn't see a point. As Jughead said, it would only make things worse. She needed Toni, and she wasn't about to mess everything up when they were finally making progress.

The pair had yet to attempt to work on their project since Monday, but they had been talking more and more during school. A plan was in place to meet tomorrow, but today was Saturday, and Cheryl had other schoolwork to finish.

She had brought her laptop, one of the items she purchased at Southside Pawn with her store credit, to Rose Lane Café, the closest location with public Wi-Fi. Cheryl had purchased a vanilla latte and got to work, typing up her American History paper.

"Well, well, well," a voice said, causing Cheryl to look up and meet eyes with Storm. "Since when does Cheryl Blossom have a laptop?"

"Just got it," Cheryl answered, turning her attention back to her work. She did _not_ need this right now.

"Never thought I'd see the day," Storm said, taking the seat next to her. "Didn't you have sentimental value to that tower?"

"I… I couldn't remember the password," the redhead answered honestly.

"Unless you changed it, it was phoenix," the other girl responded. "You know… 'cuz I'm Storm, and you're Jean Grey. At least… we used to be."

"I changed it after we broke up," Cheryl said quickly, clearing her throat. She made a mental note to try that password later on, still wanting access to the machine.

Storm smiled, "At least you're acknowledging we dated now, babe. That's better than you pretending you don't know me."

"Yes, well."

"Cher, come on," Storm begged. "Talk to me. I miss us."

Cheryl pursed her lips, feeling uncomfortable. "I really must focus on this. I have a lot of work due Monday."

"Worst thing that ever happened was you going to that Northsider school. If you had been transferred to Seaside with me… well… things may have turned out differently," Storm sighed, getting up from her chair. "I'll see you around I guess."

The redhead took a deep, relieving breath upon the other girl's departure. She couldn't help but think of the other her and what had transpired to break up her relationship with Storm. Of course, Cheryl didn't care that much. That wasn't her life. Toni was all that mattered.

* * *

Saturday night was like any other: weed and alcohol with the boys. It was quickly becoming Cheryl's favorite part of the week, and that fact slightly terrified her. Sweet Pea, Fangs, and Jughead were somehow her best friends, and she loved their company. More times than not, hanging out with them reminded her of Toni and their past. It was a feeling she didn't mind revisiting as often as possible. The intoxication was just an added bonus.

The group conversed outside of the Whyte Wrym. They each had a bottle of Budweiser in their hand while a freshly lit joint was being passed around.

"She's the hottest girl in school. That's all I'm saying," Sweet Pea said before taking a swig from his bottle.

Fangs rolled his eyes, "Dude, are you capable of talking about anything _besides_ how hot you think Lodge is?"

"What?" the boy asked. "Okay, point. _But_ it's not just her looks. She's so smart, and she's nice."

"Dude, let it go," Fangs pleaded.

"Let a man dream, would you?"

"So where to from here?" Jughead asked, changing the subject as he accepted the joint from Cheryl. He took a hit before sending it onward to Fangs.

Cheryl ran her hand through her long, red hair. "My trailer is always an option," she offered.

"We've already gone through all your movies, Goose," Sweet Pea complained. "I want something different."

"Right," Jughead scoffed, "because there's not a Redbox two blocks from here."

They ended up renting The Happytime Murders, a demand from Sweet Pea, who was way too excited about puppet crime, but his insisting paid off since that was what they ended up selecting, if only to shut him up.

Just as they turned to leave, Cheryl's phone dinged. The redhead took the device out of her pocket and gasped when she read the notification. Cheryl stopped walking and stood frozen on the sidewalk as she stared down at her phone.

**TT** **[10:04pm]:** Hope its ok for me to text you

**TT** **[10:04pm]:** I just needed someone to talk to and you offered

Cheryl reread the messages three times, in disbelief that Toni actually reached out to _her_.

**Cheryl [10:04pm]:** What happened? Are you okay?

**TT** **[10:04pm]:** Heather and I broke up

Toni and Heather were broken up, and Cheryl wanted to cry. Despite the joy she felt, she couldn't help but feel pain knowing the girl she loved was hurting. She brought her hand to her mouth and silently stared at the words, not being able to truly process the whirlwind of emotions she was feeling.

"Cheryl?" Jughead asked, putting his hand on her shoulder.

She looked at him, her eyes watery. "I've got to go." Cheryl pulled her keys out of her bag and slid the house key off the ring. "Here, you boys can still use the TV."

"Is everything okay?"

"It will be," Cheryl answered before taking off without another word.

* * *

She drove straight to Thornhill, not even caring about showing up at the place she burglarized. Toni needed her. The blonde was already waiting outside the gate when Cheryl pulled into the long driveway.

Toni got in the car and slid on her seatbelt. She turned to Cheryl and gave her a watery smile, "Thanks."

"I said I'd be here for anything, Toni," Cheryl responded. She reached over and took Toni's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Why don't we go get a drink or two to help numb the pain?" she suggested, both for Toni and herself. She knew it would be difficult listening to Toni be heartbroken over someone else, and it was taking everything she had to not kiss Toni's pain away.

"That sounds great," Toni blubbered, trying her best to stay composed.

Cheryl wasn't sure about the best course of action; it was unfamiliar territory. At home, it was Toni who always kept it together; it was Toni who was the strong one. Toni was never the one who cried.

"You care about being seen on the Southside?" Cheryl inquired. "The Wyrm doesn't check ID."

"She cheated on me," Toni deadpanned. "She's been cheating on me for weeks."

"What?" Cheryl asked, not believing she heard that right. No one would cheat on Toni; she's too perfect.

"With Reggie," the blonde continued. "She's been cheating on me with Reggie."

"She doesn't deserve you Toni; she never did," Cheryl said. "She's _vile_."

"How about that drink?" Toni asked, attempting to smile and failing miserably.

* * *

They ended up at the Whyte Wrym, at the bar ordering round after round from Hog Eye. Toni had stopped crying and progressed into using extroverted behavior as a coping mechanism.

"_Please_, Cheryl," she begged. "One song! Just one."

Cheryl smiled, "You're drunk."

"So?" Toni laughed. "Come _on_."

The redhead scoffed, "_Fine_, but _only_ one song."

_The things I'll do for this woman._

Toni instantly grabbed her hand, sending a jolt through Cheryl's body. The smaller girl stumbled, basically dragging Cheryl onto the stage. She grabbed one of the mics, a drunken grin upon her face.

Cheryl calmly took the other, her heart beating in her chest. She had no idea what was in store. She felt butterflies in her stomach, but that could have just been the alcohol.

Toni glanced through the option of songs as the patrons of the Whyte Wrym waited patiently for a show. The blonde's eyes lit up as she decided on a song. Toni clicked the button, finalizing her selection without consulting her singing partner.

The redhead eyed the screen nervously, but soon a familiar beat played over the loudspeaker. She inwardly thanked the heavens that her friends were safely back at her trailer and not still at the bar. She did _not_ want them seeing her make a fool of herself. She began to relax upon glancing over at Toni. She watched the shorter girl with a small smile as Toni began to rock her hips back and forth to the beat. It felt like old times, before she got stuck here. It felt right.

Words appeared on screen and Toni confidently belted out the first verse, her melodic voice ringing out pleasantly despite her inebriated state, "Well you're a real tough cookie with a long history of breaking little hearts like the one in me." She looked towards Cheryl with a pointed finger, signaling her to jump in.

As Cheryl shyly sang the next part, Toni's eyes lit up, clearly impressed by her voice. "That's okay, let's see how you do it. Put up your dukes, let's get down to it."

When they reached the chorus, they joined together, belting out the words as a unit, "Hit me with your best shot. Why don't you hit me with your best shot. Hit me with your best shot. Fire away." Cheryl went high, while Toni's raspy voice went low.

The drunken girl nearly fell into Cheryl as she threw an arm around her shoulders, making the redhead also sway to the beat. She knew Toni wasn't in her right mind, drunk and grieving a breakup, but Cheryl couldn't help but enjoy the contact.

"You come on with it, come on. You don't fight fair," Toni belted out, her arm tightly wrapped around Cheryl. "That's okay, see if I care."

The redhead struggled to sing the next line, "Knock me down, it's all in vain. I get right back on my feet again."

The continued on, singing the rest of the song as they swayed against each other, mics held up to their mouths. Cheryl didn't want the moment to end, it was perfect… or it would have been if Toni was sober and not heartbroken from someone else. She continued to remind herself why they were there, but with Toni pressed up against her side, it was a difficult task.

"Hit me with your best shot. Fire away," they sang out the last part of the song together, a light sweat forming on both of the girls. Toni laughed loudly, pulling the redhead into a quick hug as small claps filled the dingy atmosphere.

Toni replaced her microphone and sauntered off of the stage with Cheryl in tow. "That... was so... _fun_," the girl slurred, her face slightly flushed.

"It truly was. Do you feel better?"

"I gotta say I do, Cheryl," Toni admitted honestly, her face beaming. "I love that song."

The redhead grinned, hoping that Toni's radiant, intoxicating smile would last.

"Good, Sir," Toni called to the bartender. "Another round!"

"Some water, I think, Hog Eye," Cheryl laughed.

* * *

Later that night, they sat in an open booth in a quiet corner of the bar. Toni had started to sober up, switching to beer rather than shots. Cheryl still couldn't believe she was here, at the Whyte Wyrm with her. It felt like a dream, spending time with the shorter girl. More than once she had to stop herself from staring. Of course, the redhead wished it was happening under more pleasant circumstances, but she wasn't picky. She'd spend time with Toni no matter the reason.

"Thanks again for coming tonight," Toni said, breaking the silence.

Cheryl smiled, "Of course. But if you don't mind me asking, why me?"

The shorter girl shrugged, "I don't really have anyone to talk to... "

"What about your friends?" she asked.

Toni scoffed, "What friends? My friends are Heather's friends."

"What about Veronica?"

"We aren't as close as we used to be," Toni explained. "We um… we used to date when she first moved here."

"Wait," Cheryl stopped her. "Veronica's _gay_?"

Toni laughed, "Nah, she's bi. She prefers guys, but I think they're all too intimidated of her."

"Oh my God," the redhead exhaled. "And you dated Veronica?"

The question caused Toni to laugh again, a welcome change from her tears from earlier. "Yeah, I asked her to the back to the school dance after cheerleading tryouts. We're friends now, but I don't know, we haven't talked in a while. Heather," she sighed, "she always got so jealous whenever I talked to girls, and with Veronica and my history it got worse. I sort of just started cutting off friendships and pushing people away."

"Why would you put up with someone treating you that way?" Cheryl asked, empathetic pain in her voice.

"I guess I didn't want to be alone," she admitted meekly.

Cheryl reached across the table, placing her hand on top of Toni's. "You aren't alone, Toni."

"It's not the same," she said, "but thank you. It's just hard… Ya know? I thought I had found the real thing, but I thought that with Veronica too. She only wanted something going casual. Apparently, she never goes for commitment with girls."

"You're worth the commitment," Cheryl assured.

They stared at each other for a moment, something heavy was in the air. Cheryl swore she felt something flicker between them, swore she saw something in Toni's eyes, but she knew it was probably just the alcohol. It was too soon for anything to be happening, at least on Toni's end. Still, it took her breath away.

"You're too nice to me," Toni said as she pulled her hand away.

"I'm not," the redhead insisted. "You deserve someone to be nice to you, Toni."

"How can you care after everything I've done?" The blonde slide out of the booth and downed the rest of her bottle.

Cheryl quickly followed her, grabbing her by the wrist to stop her from walking away. "You're a good person. I know you are."

"I'm a bitch," Toni said, her good mood quickly disappearing. "Fuck, do I deserve this happening to me? Is this karma?"

"No," Cheryl insisted, pulling her into a hug.

The shorter girl was stunned for a moment before lifting her arms and embracing Cheryl in her own arms, crying into the redhead's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Cheryl pulled back, confusion in her eyes. "What?"

Toni wiped her face with the sleeve of her designer pullover. "I'm sorry for… for causing everything at school. If it hadn't been for me, Heath— _she_ wouldn't have made your life so _awful_."

"That wasn't your fault," Cheryl argued. "She's a horrible, vile person who feeds her own ego off the misfortune of others."

Shaking her head, Toni continued, "I put you in the crosshairs."

Cheryl placed both of her hands on either of Toni's shoulders and looked her square in the eye. "Toni Topaz, you are a good person. You made some mistakes, but you do _not_ deserve this. You can't control what she did."

"But I—"

"No," Cheryl reiterated. "I _forgive_ you. Okay?"

"Okay," Toni said, her eyes watery.

"How about we get you another drink, hm?" The shorter girl nodded in response, and Cheryl led her to the bar and ordered another round of shots, wondering how she was possibly going to sober them back up enough to get home later that evening.

* * *

Taking Toni home turned out to be something Cheryl should have been more concerned about. They were both far too drunk to drive by the time they left the Whyte Wyrm, and Cheryl suggested the only logical solution she could think of: letting the girl crash at her trailer.

_Please be gone. Please be gone. Please be gone._

As she swung the door open, Cheryl was relieved to find the small space empty. Jughead, Sweet Pea, and Fangs were long gone, and her key sat safely on the kitchen counter. They must have left the door open for her, knowing she would need a way back inside.

"You have anything else to drink?" Toni slurred as she stumbled inside. They had shut down the bar, and the shorter girl still wanted to indulge.

"I suspect the boys cleared me out," Cheryl laughed, also slightly inebriated.

Toni flopped down on the couch, "Damn. So… what do you do around here?"

"Watch movies or draw," the redhead answered. "Nothing too exciting."

"You can draw?" Toni's eyes widened. "That's so cool!"

"It's alright."

"We should do a comic for our project, and you can draw it!" the blond exclaimed overenthusiastically due to her drunken state.

"Oh," Cheryl blushed. "If you want…" She looked over to see Toni had passed out on the couch. The blonde's head was thrown back and her jaw hung slack. "Perhaps it's time to turn in for the evening. Academics can wait until tomorrow," she sighed, not being able to tear her gaze away from the slumbering girl sitting a foot away.

Cheryl nudged Toni awake, wanting to put the girl to bed so she could sleep more comfortably. "Toni," she coaxed. "Wake up."

"Hm?" the blonde answered, slowly coming to. "Cheryl?"

"You remember coming back to my trailer?"

Toni nodded and yawned animatedly.

Cheryl helped her up and supported the other girl's weight as they sauntered into the bedroom. "You can take my bed."

"Mmm," Toni hugged the pillow. "Where will you sleep?"

"I'll take the couch," the redhead smiled warmly. "I care more about your comfort."

"You're so nice," she said. Toni reached over and took Cheryl's hand, causing the redhead to inhale sharply. "Thank you."

Cheryl swallowed, her throat dry, as she tried to compose herself. The small action caused a lot of emotions to swirl within her, similarly to the contact Toni had initiated during their karaoke performance. "It's what you deserve, Toni."

The shorter girl quickly drifted back off to sleep, her grip releasing Cheryl's hand as unconsciousness took hold. Cheryl smiled softly. She reached up and brushed a strand of bleach blonde hair back from Toni's face.

_Progress._

The night had been a mess. Toni's breakup and drunken antics, but one good thing came from the heartbreak. Now, Toni knew she cared. Toni knew she could count on her. Toni knew Cheryl was there, willing to do what it took. And that, Cheryl knew, was more than worth the astronomical bar tab she was sure they had amassed earlier that evening.


	14. Chapter 14

Cheryl awoke to the sound of plates clattering in the kitchen. She sniffled and rubbed her eyes, "What's going on?"

"Shit," Claude said. "I was tryin' not to wake you."

"What time is it?"

"Just after six," the man said. "Why aren't you in bed?"

"Toni spent the night," she smiled, relishing in being able to say those words. "I gave her the bed."

He raised an eyebrow, "Is that _the_ girl?"

Cheryl blushed and nodded. "She is."

"You know, Goose," Claude rubbed the back of his neck anxiously, "as long as things stay PG in there, I don't mind if y'all share the bed."

"Oh," Cheryl blushed deeper, "it's not like that… not… not yet."

"Ah. Well, when it is," he smiled. Claude tilted his neck, looking down the hall. "Speak of the devil."

"Where am I?" Toni asked, emerging from Cheryl's bedroom looking incredibly disheveled.

The redhead's heart plummeted. "You don't remember?"

"Cheryl?" the blonde squinted. "Is this your place?" Cheryl nodded in response, wondering how much Toni remembered of the previous night. "I guess we came back here from the bar."

A sigh of relief left Cheryl's lungs. Toni did remember, well, some of their evening. "We were both too drunk to drive, especially you."

"Thanks," Toni ran a hand through her hair as she padded into the living room. She sat in the arm chair and yawned.

Cheryl couldn't help but grin, admiring how adorable Toni looked. "How about I get you some Advil and make something for breakfast before driving you home?" she asked.

"That'd be great," the shorter girl said. "Just some toast or something."

Claude fetched the pills and a glass of water before leaving for his shift, handing them to Cheryl as he left for work. The redhead brought them to Toni with a smile before busying herself in the kitchen. Despite Toni only requesting toast, Cheryl cooked an entire meal. It wasn't anything special, simply runny scrambled eggs, dry toast, and a side of sliced bananas. She prepared the exact hangover meal she always cooked Toni, knowing exactly what the other girl craved when she woke up after a night of drinking.

After their breakfast, Cheryl changed and drove Toni back to Thornhill, though she suspected Toni's family didn't refer to it as such. When she returned, Jughead was waiting for her on the porch.

"Since when are you out this early on a Sunday?" he asked, jumping off the banister.

Cheryl smiled widely, "Since Toni spent the night, and I had to drive her home."

His eyes grew large, "What the hell was that text last night?"

"I have a lot to catch you up on," Cheryl said as she walked passed him to unlock the front door and enter the trailer. "Wait a second, why are _you_ here this early?"

"I had some inspiration and was up late researching," the boy explained. "Didn't even sleep." Jughead downed a huge drink of coffee from the tumbler he carried in his hand. "I was out walking and noticed your car was gone."

"Inspiration on what?" she asked, intrigued.

"On you," Jughead answered. "On your life. On what could have possibly changed between our two versions of reality for them to be so different! And I think I've figured it out."

"You figured out how to get me home?"

"No," he said. Jughead's face fell as he realized how Cheryl had interpreted his excitement. "I figured out what changed. I figured out where the timeline changed."

"Still impressive," Cheryl said, pursing her lips. She ran her hand through her hair, trying not to show her disappointment, as she walked to the couch to sit down. "Why don't you tell me what you've discovered?"

He gave a definitive nod and joined Cheryl on the couch, sitting beside her. "Have you heard of the butterfly effect?"

"Wasn't that a movie?"

Jughead laughed, "Yes, but the movie was based on a concept. If one event changes, a whole series of unexpected consequences happen as a result."

"And I caused this how?" Cheryl asked.

"Not you," he corrected. "Sweetwater Syrup."

The redhead's brow furrowed, "What's that?"

"Formerly known as Blossom Maple Syrup, before your family sold it," Jughead explained.

"You're telling me they sold our lucrative family business to… what exactly? Move to the Southside and be poor?" Cheryl gave him a judgemental gaze, feeling as though his theory was a waste of her time.

"They had to liquidate their assets when your great-grandfather was convicted of — "

"When he murdered his brother," she interrupted. "But that wasn't even public knowledge."

"Attempted murder," Jughead said. "That's it. I thought it was the trial, but that's it. Everett Blossom gained sole ownership over the company, sold it, and donated the profits! He wanted to be free of the company that destroyed his family! _That's_ the butterfly!"

Cheryl gawked at him, "How high _are_ you?"

"I really don't see how that's relevant," Jughead deflected.

She crossed her arms over her chest, "Trust me, it's relevant."

"I'm sober enough to know I'm on to something here."

"If you are right, what was this for?" she asked. "I'm nowhere closer to getting home. I know you love digging for information, but was there even a point to this?"

Jughead said. "Cheryl, this could all be part of a puzzle. We need to learn everything so we can get you home."

"Now you think I need to solve puzzles?" she huffed, clearly annoyed. "Just last weekend you were convinced none of this was real."

"I don't know what to think. I'm trying to look at this from every angle," Jughead defended. "This isn't exactly a typical situation."

"I appreciate you doing that work," Cheryl said. "I really do, but—"

"But it's a lot," he finished her thought. "I get it. I just wanted to help."

"Maybe you did," the redhead said with a forced smile. "However, it may be best you leave. I'm meeting Toni later, and this false hope has me feeling rather discombobulated. I would like some time to calm myself before I leave."

"You don't have to sound so proper all the time, Cher," Jughead laughed. "Say no more. I'm out of your hair, but I'm not going to stop digging."

"You wouldn't be the sleuth I know you to be if you did."

* * *

Cheryl needed a distraction. Jughead's theory was a lot to process, even if it was mostly all for nothing. She wanted to get his words out of her mind; she wanted to be clear headed when she saw Toni.

The redhead sat down at her desk, deciding to try the password she received from Storm the previous day. She turned on the computer and waited for the login prompt before typing in phoenix. The computer came to life, revealing a Window desktop.

She breathed out a sigh of relief before beginning to dig through the files but found nothing of interest. Cheryl then turned to the internet history, finding a LiveJournal account that was still logged in. A scoff escaped her throat as Cheryl inwardly judged her alter ego for having such an account.

Cheryl bit down on her bottom lip, her teeth pressing into the smooth skin. She clicked through various entries, interested to learn more. The account hadn't been updated in several months, but she found a few from a few months back to read.

**_November 12th, 2018, 09:57 pm_**

_Today J and I were walking home, and he slipped in the mud. He fell and it ended up all over his ass. It really looked like he shit himself. I was laughing so hard so he started throwing mud at me to retaliate. Somehow we got into a whole mud fight. _

_He's been my best friend for as long as I can remember, even before my brother died. I don't know what I'd do without him, even if he does throw mud at me._

_ \- C _

Cheryl laughed at the entry, finding it heartwarmingly relatable. In the weeks since she had gotten trapped in her own personal hell, she had grown surprisingly close to the boy. He was a true friend, one she had desperately needed. It hadn't mattered to Jughead that Cheryl didn't remember the friendship she had read about, he loved her just the same.

She clicked onto the following entry, instantly feeling a sense of discomfort.

**_November 14th, 2018, 09:43 pm_**

_I don't know what to do here. My girlfriend wants to take things to the next level, but I'm not sure I'm ready to do that yet with her. I keep saying I want to wait, but she doesn't seem to take no for an answer. I think I love her, but it's putting a strain on our relationship. It's almost like she's using that as a way to prove something to herself. _

_ \- C _

The redhead saw a color near as bright as her head. It was no wonder why Jughead had been so adamant about her staying away from her. Storm tried to get her back just the day before, and now knowing the reason, Cheryl wished she had told the girl off.

**_November 18th, 2018, 11:50 pm_**

_I think I realized what's been holding me back. I'm starting to crush on this girl at my new school. I transfered last year, and my girlfriend ended up going to another school. _

_There's this really bitchy but really hot girl at my school now. She'd never look at me in a thousand years though. I'm from the "wrong side of the tracks," and she's, well, rich. Her locker is right across from mine, and I can't help but look at her every morning while I'm getting my books. She's gorgeous. _

_It's probably not a good sign that I'm thinking about someone else while I'm in a relationship is it?_

_ \- C _

A smile grew upon Cheryl's lips. The entries had to have been talking about Toni. Who else could it have been? She knew her alternate self had good taste, and this proved it.

**_November 22nd, 2018, 10:31 pm_**

_Well, I just got dumped. I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt. She broke up with me because I didn't want more. Because I didn't want that next step._

_She knows, I think, about the other girl. I think she found my sketchbook._

_It's better this way, she should have someone who can devote all their energy to her._

_Why am I justifying this? Fuck her._

_ \- C _

Cheryl turned off the computer, not sure what she learned or why she went looking in the first place. She wasn't sure why she was feeling upset over something that didn't even happen to her, even if it had to her _other_ self. Since waking up in the trailer that first day, Cheryl had been sure of only one thing: her feelings for Toni. That was the one thing she was sure of throughout all of the chaos. And now she knew, or she assumed rather, that her alternate self had feelings for her as well. Perhaps that meant they really were meant to be in any reality; at least, she hoped that's what it meant. It was so hard to be sure of anything.

* * *

At 3 in the afternoon, Cheryl pulled into Toni's driveway. Her nerves were already getting the better of her. She shouldn't help but feel anxious about the possibility of meeting the girl's parents. These were the people Toni idolized, the people she came from. They were people she never thought she'd be able to meet…

"Hey," Toni said when she answered the door. "We actually going to make some progress on this today?"

Cheryl laughed and followed her inside towards the kitchen. She saw the cabinet she had burglarized as she walked past and quickly averted her eyes, the guilt already eating at her. The redhead pushed it down, doing her best to ignore those thoughts and focus on spending time with Toni.

They sat down at the table; Toni's copy of Romeo and Juliet was already laying on the flat surface, waiting. The blonde took her seat, pulling the one next to her out slightly, signally for Cheryl to sit there.

"We have to finalize what we are doing or we won't finish in time. I'm sure everyone in class is making a movie," Toni said as she flipped through her binder, looking for the handout stating the project requirements. "I could do something with photography. I haven't shot anything in a couple years, but at least it would be different than everyone else."

"What about a comic? I draw," Cheryl said, realizing Toni had forgotten their conversation.

The shorter girl's eyes lit up. "That's a great idea."

"It's yours actually," Cheryl laughed. She bit down on her bottom lip momentarily before continuing, "You said that last night."

"Let me guess," Toni winced. "When I was drunk?"

"You were a bit intoxicated," Cheryl affirmed.

"Thanks again for that, Cheryl."

The taller girl smiled widely, "It was my pleasure."

"Still can't believe you like the same exact hangover meal as I do," Toni laughed. The backdoor opened, "But don't let my mom hear about that."

A woman Cheryl recognized as Jade Topaz, Toni's mom, walked into the room. As she came into view, Cheryl could see just how similar they were. Her mother's hair was in long, well kept dreadlocks. Cheryl had seen photos, but in person the similarities were striking.

"Hey, sweetie," Jade said.

Toni looked over her shoulder, "Hey, mom. This is Cheryl. We're working on our English project."

She walked over and picked up Toni's book, "Romeo and Juliet; I remember loving this play."

"Yeah," Toni nodded. "We read a _lot_ of Shakespear, but this was one of my favorites."

"It's good to know my daughter inherited my taste," she joked, placing a kiss to the top of Toni's head. "I'll let you girls get back to your work. Don't mind me. Nice to meet you, Cheryl."

"It's… it's nice to meet you too," Cheryl said, still feeling as if she had seen a ghost. She waited until Toni's mom had left the room before turning to the other girl, "Your mom seems really nice."

"She's the best," Toni smiled. A beat passed before she continued, "So about this project…"

"Yes, we do have a lot to finalize," the redhead agreed.

"It's supposed to be relevant to our lives right?" Toni asked. "So, what about instead of the Montagues and Capulets, a Northsider and a Southsider fell in love?"

Cheryl's breath caught in her throat, "I… I think that's a perfect analogy."

"Great," the shorter girl smiled. "We have our medium and our concept. Now all we have to do is do it."

"Where would you like to start?"

* * *

For two hours the girls diligently worked on their assignment. They had finalized their plot outline and were about to start writing the script for Act I when they were interrupted.

"Hey, kid," a man's voice said. "Your mom home?"

"Upstairs, I think," Toni answered, not looking up from her work. "Check her office."

Cheryl looked to the source of the voice, seeing Toni's father Anthony, who she knew preferred to go by Tony based on her girlfriend's stories. Once again, she felt as though she was seeing a ghost. Of course, he wasn't dead where she came from, but the way Toni spoke of him, he may as well have been.

"Dinner in thirty?"

Toni looked up from her work and glanced towards him, "Sounds good. Pizza?"

"My favorite," he smiled. "Your friend staying?"

"Cheryl," Toni looked to her, "would you like to stay for dinner?"

"S-sure," she nodded.

Toni turned back to her dad, "She's staying."

"I'm old, not deaf, Ant," Tony said.

"Sure, Dad," she laughed.

"Toni, Toni, Toni," a tiny voice yelled as a blur ran past and into Toni's arms. "Hi," she said into Toni's chest.

"Hey, Vi," Toni said before turning to Cheryl. "This is my friend Cheryl. Can you say hello?"

"Hi," the small child said. She looked to be six or seven years old, and appeared to be a miniature clone of Toni.

"Y-you have a sister?" Cheryl asked, full of confusion. She wanted to smile about Toni calling her a friend, but an even larger bombshell had been dropped.

"Yup, this little gremlin here is Violet," Toni confirmed.

"She looks just like you," the redhead observed.

"Good genes," the blonde laughed. "Right, Vi?"

"I'm wearing a dress," the girl said in response, her face scrunched in confusion.

"And it's a very pretty dress," Toni said to her before placing her small frame back to the ground. "We've got to finish up here. Can you go play with your dolls until dinner?"

"'Kay," she said, running towards the door. Violet turned around and said, "Nice to meet you, Cherrie," before returning to her original course and darting from the room.

"She's adorable," Cherl said, still in awe.

"And she knows it too," Toni said with a smile.

"Do you have any other family?" the redhead inquired, now wondering if Toni had any other surprise siblings.

Toni shook her head, "Just my grandpa, but he lives on the far back end of the property in his own house."

They worked until the pizza was delivered, continuing to chat while still staying on task. By the time they stopped to eat, they had the first two pages planned out.

"So you girls are studying Shakespear?" Tony asked as he handed out plates. The group was gathered around the kitchen island, where resided three medium pizzas.

Cheryl nodded as Toni answered, "We read through a lot of them in class."

"Ant always loved plays," her dad explained.

Toni looked at him, a warning in her eyes, "_Dad_."

"Just making some harmless conversation with our guest," he claimed. "I'm sure Cheryl would love to hear some stories."

"I would actually," Cheryl grinned.

"She used to put on plays as a kid," Jade interjected. "There were even costume changes."

"Are you guys kidding me right now?" Toni whined. "I don't tell embarrassing stories when your friends come over."

Cheryl couldn't help but laugh at the exchange. She was distracted from the tale Toni's parents were telling when she felt something brush against her thigh. The redhead looked down to see Violet struggling to get a slice of pizza.

"You need help?"

"No."

The redhead crouched down to her level. "Looks like you could use a little help."

"I want to get my own," Violet pouted.

Cheryl could only assume she was used to her slice being chosen for her, which seemed to annoy the girl. "How about I help you so you can choose your own?" She looked up at Toni who was watching the exchange with an amused look on her face. "That okay?"

"Be my guest," Toni replied, giving the redhead permission.

Violet laughed as she was scooped up in Cheryl's arms. The redhead held her close so she could get her own slice and plop it onto her plate. Cheryl gently sat the girl back down on the floor, and Violet looked up at her with a huge smile. "Tanks."

"You're great with kids," Toni said as her sister ran off to the table with her slice.

"I'm used to watching my—" Cheryl stopped herself, remembering Juniper and Dagwood didn't exist there. "To babysitting, I'm used to babysitting."

"I'm sure you're great at it," the shorter girl smiled.

After dinner, Cheryl was surprised yet flattered when Toni walked her to her car. They had a great afternoon, accomplishing much on both fronts.

"So I'll see you at school tomorrow?" Toni asked through the car window.

"Bright and early," the redhead replied, referring to their plan to go over the pages Cheryl was going to draw that evening by the lockers before first period.

The blonde nodded and backed away from the car. "Drive safe, Cheryl."

"Thanks," Cheryl said in response, fighting the blush that threatened to encompass her face.

_Progress._

She drove home, smiling the whole way. Things felt like they were changing between her and Toni. Cheryl hoped it wasn't just the project. She wanted this to be real, to be permanent, but the universe continued to knock her down.

This was her Toni, she reminded herself. Cheryl chose to believe in hope instead of fear, despite everything she'd encountered so far urging her to believe the contrary.


	15. Chapter 15

For the next two weeks, Cheryl and Toni worked diligently on their assignment. Despite their best efforts, they didn't finish until the day before it was due, putting the finishing touches on it over the weekend. They kept it professional, much to Cheryl's distaste, but the redhead was determined to not make the first move; this had to come from Toni.

Then there was the fear that everything would take a step backward after the project came to fruition. She couldn't help but wonder if their closeness was temporary. Cheryl hoped that wasn't the case; she didn't think she could survive losing Toni again.

They met before school, needing to use the school's copier to duplicate their project for the entire class. Toni seemed nervous about something, constantly biting down on her lip and zoning out. Cheryl was about to ask the girl if everything was okay when the machine silenced, alerting them that the final copy had been made.

"Can't believe this is done," Toni said.

"We still have to get through the presentation," Cheryl reminded her.

The shorter girl nodded, "Right, but the _project_ is done."

Cheryl laughed, "I suppose you are correct."

"So, since the project is done, would you, uh, want to go out after school? To celebrate?"

"Wait. Are you asking me out on a date?" Cheryl asked, needing to be sure.

"Only if you want to," Toni answered. "If not, it can just be a friends thing. Ya know, no pressure."

A smile threatened to take over the redhead's face. Cheryl struggled to control the pure joy she felt. With as much composure as she could muster, she responded, "I'd love to, Toni. Truly."

"Great," the blonde grinned. "Uh, Pop's after school?"

"Sounds lovely," Cheryl assured.

The bell for first period rang. "Shit. Guess we better go," Toni said. "See you in third."

"See you in third!" Cheryl called after her. She collected their copies and headed to study hall feeling on top of the world.

* * *

"Presentation week," Miss Rollins singsonged as she walked into the classroom.

Cheryl was already in her seat, trying to contain the joy she felt as she stared at the back of Toni's bleached locks. Things were finally starting to move forward. They were going on a date. Sure, she still had a huge secret… multiple huge secrets for that matter. But it wasn't like Toni would believe her if she told her the truth.

She was surprised when Toni volunteered them to go first, taking Cheryl out of her thoughts at the sound of the girl saying her name. Cheryl handed out the copies before joining Toni in the front of the room.

"We were assigned Romeo and Juliet," Cheryl explained to the class. "The medium we chose to use was comic books."

Miss Rollins flipped through the book in her hand, "Very impressive."

"Cheryl did all of the drawing," Toni said. "She's an amazing artist."

"It would seem so," the teacher said. "Now, tell us about your adaptation."

Toni walked over to the computer, inserting a USB drive. She navigated to her project folder and opened the file. The digital copy of their project opened as an interactive, animated comic book.

"Romeo is a Southsider and a Serpent," Toni said.

"Juliet is a Northsider and captain of the River Vixens," Cheryl added. They had agreed to split their presentation rather than one person saying everything. "We wanted you all to have a copy as a 'traditional' comic, but we put together this multimedia option as well."

"I will now go through some of the pages we created," the blonde said before beginning to click through the comic. They alternated reading the panels, going through the book until their three minutes was up.

"That will be a difficult presentation to follow," Miss Rollins said. "You both did excellent work."

"Hear that, Cheryl?" Toni whispered to the redhead as she walked back over to her. "Your art was excellent."

"I believe she was referring to the entire project," Cheryl laughed.

"Nah," the shorter girl said. "That's all you."

* * *

"Will lunch ever end?" Cheryl grumbled.

Jughead shrugged, "I hope not. You going to eat that?"

Cheryl rolled her eyes and passed Jughead the rest of her fries. She wanted the day to go by faster; she _needed_ the day to go by faster. Each passing minute was one minute closer to her date with Toni. The redhead's eyes sought out Toni. The girl was sitting where she had for the weeks since her breakup with Heather: with Archie, Betty, Veronica, Kevin, and Josie.

Toni turned her head, meeting Cheryl's gaze. She smiled and bit down on her lip, causing Cheryl to blush. The blonde turned back to her friends, rejoining their conversation.

"I need this day to go by faster," Cheryl said, her eyes still on Toni.

"Why?" her friend asked, his mouth full of burger.

She exhaled, "Perhaps I have somewhere more important to be."

"Like fourth period?"

Cheryl scoffed. "No. I need school in general to be over," she explained. "I… I have a date."

He looked up, wide eyed. "Wait, what?"

"Toni asked me out," the redhead blushed.

'Hey," Jughead smiled. "Congrats, Cher!"

"What are we congratulating?" Sweet Pea asked as he sat down at the table with Fangs.

"Cheryl has a date after school," Jughead answered.

"Who with?" Fangs inquired.

Jughead quirked an eyebrow at Cheryl, "You want to tell them?"

She glanced back at Toni's table to see the blonde already staring. Toni quickly averted her eyes and blushed, trying to play off that she wasn't looking when Cheryl turned her head.

"No shit?" Sweet Pea asked. "You scored a date with Topaz?"

"Perhaps," Cheryl answered, trying to prevent her skin from turning the shade of her hair.

Fangs smiled, "Happy for you, Cheryl."

"Yeah, Goose, congrats," added Sweet Pea. "A toast!" He held up his can of soda.

"Oh my God," Cheryl snapped, pulling the boy's hand down. "Do _not_ do that."

"Fine," he huffed. "I was just trying to be a supportive friend."

"Be a supportive friend without causing a scene," she demanded.

"Sorry, Goose, but I don't know how to do that," he smirked.

Cheryl sighed and checked the time again, counting down the minutes until the day was over.

* * *

The afternoon drug on. It felt like the last two periods of the day would never end. All Cheryl wanted was to hear the bell ring so she could be free to see Toni. She had been waiting for this day for months, and she couldn't bear to wait another moment. As soon as the last period ended she rushed to the lockers and waited as patiently as she could for Toni to show up.

"Hey," Toni greeted her.

Cheryl blushed, "Hi." She hated how weak a single word could make her, but this was _Toni_, she'd always be weak for her, and Cheryl didn't mind that one bit.

"Ready to go?" the blonde asked.

They walked out of school, an awkwardness hanging between them. Cheryl eyed the parking lot for Toni's Tesla, but the vehicle was nowhere to be found.

"Where's your car?" the redhead asked.

"The weather was nice so I brought my bike," Toni explained. "I guess I assumed _if_ you said yes, you'd be okay with taking it? Since you're in a gang and all that."

"A bold assumption," Cheryl smirked.

"We can always meet there. There's this booth in the corner I like to sit at, and we can—"

"Toni," Cheryl stopped her, "your bike is perfect. I don't have an issue with motorcycles."

"Really?" the shorter girl smiled. "Great. I brought my extra helmet and everything."

"Rather presumptuous of you," Cheryl blushed.

Toni shrugged, "I choose to think it was optimistic." She led Cheryl over to a purple and black Kawasaki Ninja, a far cry from the style the redhead was expecting.

"It's sporty," Cheryl said, unsure of how else to refer to the bike.

"I guess it is."

"I've never been on a bike like this."

"I'll keep you safe," Toni assured.

Cheryl grinned, "I trust you."

"Actually, I've been wanting to do this for a while now," Toni said as she handed Cheryl her spare helmet.

"Take me on a motorcycle ride?"

The shorter girl laughed, "Well that, but I meant asking you out on a date."

"You did?" Cheryl said, her voice in awe.

Toni nodded, "I was afraid after everything… I was afraid you'd say no."

"That wouldn't have happened," the redhead assured.

"Good to know," Toni smirked. "Now come on," she urged, throwing her leg over the bike. "And hold on tight."

* * *

They pulled into Pop's a short time later. The blonde hopped off the bike first and held her hand out to Cheryl, helping her off the machine. Toni helped Cheryl remove her helmet and returned the redhead's hand to her own.

"This okay?" she asked, swallowing nervously.

"More than," Cheryl smiled.

As they were walking into Pop's, one of the last people Cheryl would want to see opened the door.

Storm looked down, seeing their entwined hands and said, "Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

"Storm," Cheryl deadpanned.

"So you'd rather date some preppy Northsider than me?" the girl questioned.

The redhead smirked, "I'd rather date anyone than you. Now, get out of my way."

"Someone's hostile," Storm laughed.

"I believe she asked you to move," Toni said, causing an incredulous look to appear on Storm's face.

"Excuse me?"

"She asked you to move," the blonde repeated, standing her ground.

"You know what," Storm huffed, "whatever. Enjoy your meal. And, Cher, when you wise up, you'll know where to find me." She brushed past them and descended the steps to the parking lot.

Wordlessly, Cheryl and Toni walked into Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe. They walked to the back of the diner and slid into an open booth, sitting across from one another.

"So, who was your friend?" Toni inquired.

"An ex I can't seem to shake," Cheryl scoffed, running her hand through her hair.

The blonde quirked an eyebrow, "Anything I should be worried about?"

"Absolutely not," Cheryl said. "There's nowhere I'd rather be."

Toni nodded, blushing, "Cool."

"Hey, girls," Pop greeted as he walked up to their table. "What can I get you?"

"Cheeseburger, fries, and a double chocolate shake," Toni ordered.

"I'll have the same, but strawberry," Cheryl said.

"Be right back with that," the man said before leaving.

Their food came quickly, and the moment their order touched the table, Toni began to dig in. Cheryl was happy to see the girl's appetite was as insatiable as always. The redhead took a sip of her milkshake and hummed.

"Good?" Toni asked.

Cheryl nodded, "As always."

Everything felt so familiar. She couldn't help but think of their original first date, or rather, what she thought of as their first date. They had ordered the same milkshakes, and as she continued to drink hers, Cheryl couldn't help but smile.

_It's good some things never change._

Toni was busy devouring her food, but Cheryl didn't want the date to end so soon. She wanted to talk, to get to know more about _this_ Toni. Somehow she was at a loss as to what to talk about, so she fell back to a safe topic: school.

"That digital comic you made was very impressive, Toni," Cheryl said.

"Thanks," she answered. "My dad actually helped me get it set up."

"Oh?"

Toni dipped a fry into her ketchup before tossing the potato into her mouth. "Yeah, he's like super smart," she explains. "He led this tech startup thing, and it took off. He moved my mom and grandpa out of the Southside the second he could."

Cheryl blinked in surprise, "You're from the Southside?" For some reason that possibility had never occurred to her.

"My parents are," Toni corrected, "but I was born on the Northside. Still, the stigma follows. I basically had to vocally reject everything about my heritage and my family just to fit in. It may sound stupid, but when you don't have friends you do what you can." She took a deep, calming breath. "I'm surprised you didn't know this already… my grandpa helped found the gang you're representing on your jacket there."

_Of course._

Cheryl didn't know why she didn't consider that before. How could the Serpents exist if the Topazes were Northsiders? It was a question she should have asked herself long ago.

"Hm," she hummed. "How about that."

Toni squinted her eyes, "You don't seem too surprised though?"

"Maybe things here aren't as different as I thought, that's all."

"You're not making much sense, Bombshell," Toni laughed, clearly confused.

Cheryl swallowed, her throat feeling dry. "B-bombshell?"

"Oh, yeah… that's sort of what I've been calling you in my head," Toni blushed. "It just felt right, ya know? Ever since that day in the hallway… I hope that's okay."

"More than okay," the redhead smiled.

"You know," Toni strained her posture in her seat, "I am sorry, Cheryl. I was the world's biggest bitch to you, but for what it's worth… I thought you were a knockout. I just had a really poor way of showing it."

"I can assure you," Cheryl said, "if anyone is going to understand that, it's me. Also, I've never thought you were the world's biggest bitch. That title belongs to Heather."

The shorter girl laughed, "I can't argue with you there."

"I haven't asked how you were doing with all of that lately," Cheryl said hesitantly.

"Much better, _but_ I'd prefer not talking about my ex while I'm on a date with the prettiest girl in school."

Cheryl reached across the table and put her hand on Toni's. "I don't either, _trust me_, but I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

Toni glanced down at their hands and smiled, "I appreciate that."

The redhead nodded and withdrew her hand, using it to pick up a french fry from her own basket. "Anytime," she said before taking a bite. "And don't think I missed the comment you made."

"What comment?" Toni's brow furrowed.

"You called me pretty," Cheryl blushed.

"Ah," the shorter girl smirked. "I believe what I said was _prettiest_."

"I suppose you did."

"How's your food?" Toni asked, changing the subject abruptly.

Cheryl smiled, "Delicious."

"Same."

An awkward silence hung in the air. Cheryl couldn't explain why she was so nervous. Her and Toni had been on countless dates, many of which in that very establishment. It felt like the first, because in many ways it was. It was her first date with Northsider Toni, and she needed to get to know the girl all over again.

"I hate to sound like I'm taking a page out of a first date guidebook," Cheryl joked, "but what are your hobbies?"

Toni laughed, "Cheerleading, but you knew that already. Uh, I don't really have any right now I guess. I used to love photography."

"You mentioned that when we were working on our project," the redhead reminded. "I bet your shots were magnificent."

"They're alright. How about you?"

"Drawing, as you know," Cheryl said. "I don't do much otherwise."

"What about on the weekends?" Toni asked before taking a bite of her burger.

"I usually hang out with my friends," the redhead answered. She smiled fondly thinking of their antics, still amused that she considered the three boys her closest friends.

The conversation continued from there, discussing how they spent their time, favorite books and movies, and any question Cheryl could come up with. She asked Toni more about her family, learning Violet was given her name because a younger Toni begged her parents to name her after her favorite color. Her parents happened to genuinely like the name, but they let Toni believe it was her influence until her sister's fourth birthday.

Before long, the baskets and glasses were empty, and the date was coming to a close. It ended far too early for Cheryl's liking, but she wouldn't have changed a moment. It was perfect, even if it was on the shorter side.

"I can drive you home," Toni offered.

Cheryl smiled, "I'd love that."

Toni paid for their meal, insisting since she asked Cheryl out, and escorted Cheryl outside. They walked back to the Kawasaki hand in hand. She handed her the helmet, their hands briefly touching. The contact caused Cheryl to inhale quickly.

"Or," the shorter girl's face fell, "you could drive your car since your friend dropped it off."

The redhead turned around, seeing her Tempo parked two spots away. She knew what it meant, her friend left it for her as a way to get back home.

_Damn it, Jughead. That boy doesn't think sometimes._

"I guess I should take my car home," Cheryl said, clearly disappointed. She returned the helmet to Toni.

"Maybe I could give you a ride some other time?" the blonde asked.

Cheryl nodded, "That would be marvelous."

There was something thick in the air between them, Cheryl was sure Toni could feel it too. She was _sure_ the shorter girl was leaning in when a tiny voice yelled out.

"Toni!" Violet yelled as she came sprinting across the parking lot.

"Hey there, gremlin," Toni smiled, picking the girl as she collided into her arms.

"You eating dinner with me?" she asked, hopeful.

Toni shook her head, "I just ate with Cheryl. You remember Cheryl?"

"Hi, Cherrie," Violet said, looking over at Cheryl.

Despite the interruption, Cheryl couldn't help but smile at the small girl. "Hi, Violet. How are you?"

"Good," the girl answered before ducking her head into Toni's neck.

"Guess I need to see to this little one," Toni laughed.

Cheryl nodded in understanding. "Of course. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Definitely," the blonde smiled. "And Cheryl?"

"Hm?"

"I had a really great time," Toni said, blushing as she spoke.

The redhead grinned, "I did as well. Perhaps we can do it again soon?"

"I'd like that, _and_ you owe me another bike ride," Toni reminded.

Cheryl bit down on her bottom lip. "That I do," she agreed.

"Great. Bye, Cher," Toni said before catching herself. "Is that okay? I've heard other people call you that and I—"

"It's perfect."

Toni sat Violet down on the ground and bent down, "You want to wave bye to Cheryl?"

"Bye," the girl waved.

Toni took her hand and led her back over to her parents, who were standing next to a black SUV. Cheryl could see Jade mouthing "sorry" to Toni as the blonde walked closer.

Cheryl got into her car, finding the door unlocked and the keys under the floor mat. She was glad she had a car not worth stealing since Jughead took no precautions when leaving it for her. Her mind raced, thinking of their date. Had Toni wanted to kiss her? She couldn't help but wonder.

_Wait._

She realized something she hadn't considered. Having nearly given up on getting home, she overlooked one possibility she hadn't tried. At the time it hadn't been an option, but maybe it was all leading up to one important moment.

_True love's kiss._

If there was any hope left of her getting back home, that was it.


	16. Chapter 16

Cheryl paced back and forth in her bedroom, anxiously awaiting Jughead's arrival. She had texted him the moment she got home, asking the boy to come over to brainstorm theories.

"Okay," he said as he entered her bedroom, having let himself into the unlocked trailer, "what's this big emergency?"

"I'm cursed!"

Jughead raised an eyebrow, "Come again?"

"This… whatever _this_ is," Cheryl gestured around the room, "is a curse. My curse."

"What?"

The redhead huffed, "Keep up, Jones! This nightmare world I'm stuck in… What if it's a curse?"

"Like some fairy tale shit?" he asked.

"Precisely! And how does one break a curse?"

Jughead shrugged, "Are you wanting to brew potions or something?"

"True love's kiss," she seethed, getting annoyed that the boy couldn't follow her train of thought.

"Oh! Like Once Upon a Time," he nodded, finally understanding.

"That was a TV show, right?"

The boy nodded, "It started out with the whole town being under the Evil Queen's spell, but only one boy, Henry, was aware of the curse. He went to Boston to find his birth mother, and they had this code name for the mission to break the curse. Operation Cobra, I think it was."

"Jughead, I don't care about the show!" Cheryl exclaimed, getting tired of his summary.

"Right," he acknowledged, "but you're right. By the end of the show almost _anything_ could be solved with true love's kiss."

"If you knew this already, why didn't you say anything?"

"I watch a lot of tv," Jughead shrugged, "and I'm only an amateur sleuth. So is that the theory we are going with now? Everyone is cursed?"

"I think it's just me," Cheryl answered. "Who knows. It could be everyone?"

"I guess anything is possible."

* * *

Toni invited Cheryl to hang out the next day after school. The pinkette drove them both on her Kawasaki, fulfilling her promise from their date. The pair went to Toni's bedroom, which was Cheryl's former.

It was strange being back there. She had ran through there briefly the night she burglarized the house, but the last time she spent any real time in the room was the night she burned Thornhill to the ground.

"How about some music?" Toni asked. Cheryl nodded, and the shorter girl took out a box of records. "It's nice being able to play my music for other people."

"You haven't before?"

Toni shook her head, "Not for a while. You know who didn't really like this kind of music. I only ever got to listen to what _she_ deemed appropriate."

"Of course," the redhead scoffed. "I'm sure whatever you put on will be great, Toni."

"Yeah," she nodded. "Something tells me you'll enjoy this." Toni slid one of the vinyl records out of its sleeve and placed it on her player, adjusting the needle so sound began to play through the speaker.

Cheryl nodded along to the rock music. It wasn't what she'd typically listen to, but it wasn't awful. She wondered why Toni thought she'd enjoy it so much. "They aren't bad. Who are they?" she asked.

"Like you don't know," Toni smirked with a roll of her eyes.

"Should I?"

The blonde laughed, "Well, you _are_ wearing their merch."

Cheryl looked down at the shirt she was wearing, a black t-shirt with a large skull on the front. It only took her a moment to realize it was a band logo with the name "Misfits" in bold lettering above the skull. "So I am," the redhead responded, clearly embarrassed.

"You didn't know?" Toni laughed.

"Um… Jughead got me this shirt," she lied. "I don't know all of the names of the bands we listen to."

"Makes sense," the shorter girl chuckled.

"Toni, get down here," Tony called from downstairs.

Toni sighed, "Be right back."

Cheryl could hear yelling, and she grew concerned. She had thought they were a perfect family, but apparently everyone had issues. The redhead wasn't able to make out the words that were being exchanged, and not five minutes later, Toni stomped back into the room.

"Sorry," she said. "Dad didn't know you were here."

"If everything okay?"

Toni shook her head, "No. He just found out I lost something a few weeks ago. I told my grandma, and I guess he told my dad."

"What happened?"

"My grandma's ring," Toni explained.

_No._

Cheryl felt her stomach drop. She had taken a ring from this very room, and she knew in her heart, it was the same one.

"I've looked everywhere for it," the blonde continued. "She left it to me, and I lost it. Guess that's what happens when you give a teenager family heirlooms, right?"

"Wh-what did it look like?"

"It's a gold band with diamonds and yellow topaz stones. It was my grandma's engagement ring," Toni responded.

_No._

"I… I'm sure it'll turn up," she answered.

"Cher?" Toni asked, brow furrowed. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, Toni," the redhead responded. "I think it may be best for me to have Jughead pick me up though. Suddenly I'm not feeling well."

* * *

"Take me to the pawn shop," Cheryl said as she got into the Tempo.

Jughead stares at her for a moment. "Are you okay?"

"Take me to the pawn shop!"

Cheryl picked at her nails the entire drive before they pulled up in front of Southside Pawn. Much to her dismay, Peaches was working when she entered the store.

"Buying, selling, or pawning?" the girl asked.

The redhead rushed to the counter, "I need to buy back the ring I pawned."

Peaches looked up, "I remember you. Yellow gemstones, right?"

"Yes! _Please_ tell me you still have it," Cheryl pleaded.

"Of course we do," she answered. "Not much of a market for high end jewelry on the Southside. You want it back?"

"Yes! Are you not paying attention?"

Peaches pulled the ring rack out of the locked case and removed Toni's ring. "That'll be $3,000."

"That's more than you gave me for everything," Cheryl stated in disbelief.

"We have to make profits somehow," Peaches said, rolling her eyes.

"I can't afford that," the redhead cried. "Please, I _need_ that ring back."

"I'll go as low as $2,400."

Cheryl knew she didn't have the money, there was barely anything left from her previous transaction, but she needed the ring, there was no alternative. "I'll be back."

"I would say I can't guarantee it'll be here, but it most likely will be," Peaches said as she slid the ring rack back into the case.

"It better be," Cheryl seethed.

* * *

"What the hell, Cher?" Jughead asked as Cheryl got back into the car.

"I need $2,400," she deadpanned.

He looked at her incredulously, "Why?"

"That ring I stole was Toni's grandmothers," she said, tears forming in her eyes. "I have to get it back, Jug. I have to."

"What happened to none of this being real or it being a curse or something?"

"I don't care," Cheryl said.

"What about your whole kiss theory? Ignore this! Focus on getting home," he argued. "What if telling her ruins any chance you have of getting back to _your_ Toni?"

"What if this _is_ real?" the redhead questioned. "I can't do that to her. I have to get it back."

"Cheryl—"

"No! Maybe this isn't real, but maybe it is," she cried. "Maybe this is the real world. I don't know. All I know is Toni is in trouble, and it's _my_ fault!"

"Okay," Jughead nodded. "We'll get it back, Cher. Trust me; no Serpent stands alone."

* * *

Cheryl skipped school the next day, not wanting to face Toni, and it wasn't as though she had to maintain appearances. She needed money fast, but short of robbing someone else, she was out of ideas. Jughead helped as much as he could, donating $200 to her cause, giving her $500 total. He really was a good friend, and it made her wonder if she would have been capable of being so close with his other self.

They would make their play that afternoon. She was prepared; now all she could do was hope that her plan succeeded.

"You've got this," Jughead said to Cheryl as she got out of the car.

The redhead smiled at him, "Hopefully, but if not, there's always plan B."

The bell dinged as she entered the pawn shop, and Cheryl determinedly walked straight to the front where Peaches was waiting. The girl was leaning against the back wall, flipping through a magazine. The sound of the bell pulled her focus, and she glanced up to see Cheryl marching towards her.

"You have the money?" she asked.

"I have $500," Cheryl offered, laying the money on the counter.

Peaches laughed, "Bye."

"You said so yourself, it won't sell," Cheryl reminded. "At least this way you'll get _something_ for it."

"Not worth my time," the girl said.

"I'll make payments," the redhead suggested.

Peaches slammed the magazine down, "Look, Red. This ain't a charity case. Take your money and go."

Cheryl straightened her posture and smirked. "I was afraid you'd say that."

She glanced over her shoulder and a swarm of Serpents began pouring into the store. Jughead, Sweet Pea and Fangs were followed by the boys from the bonfire and at least ten more. They all held weapons in their hands. Most of them held their switchblades, but Sweet Pea carried a wooden baseball bat. He swung it into a display and DVD cases clattered to the floor.

"What the hell?!" Peaches yelled. "Don't make me call the cops!"

"Oh we both know the Riverdale Sheriff's Department is generally useless," Cheryl jeered. "And a robbery on the Southside? They'd turn their noses up at that. I see two options here. Option 1, you call Sheriff Keller and file a report. Which in that case, I don't know what my friends here might do. It would be a _shame_ if they damaged anything expensive."

"And option 2?"

The redhead's cherry lips turned upwards into a cocky smile. "You sell me the ring for $500, and my friends and I leave peacefully."

Peaches unlocked the case below the counter and pulled out the ring rack. She shoved it towards Cheryl and snatched the money laying before her. "Here. Now get the fuck out."

"With pleasure."

* * *

Despite being terrified, Cheryl drove straight to Toni's house to return the ring. Jughead went home with the rest of the Serpents, leaving the car with Cheryl. He tried to talk her out of it, but the redhead knew what she needed to do.

After sitting in the car for several minutes, Cheryl worked up the courage to knock on the door. She knew this wasn't going to end well, and part of her wanted to hide the ring somewhere in Toni's room for her to find, but she couldn't have this secret between them.

"Cher?" Toni asked upon answering the door. There was a smile on her face, clearly excited to see the girl despite the confusion in her voice. "What are you doing here? Are you feeling better?"

The taller girl nodded weakly, "Thank you."

"You're just in time for dinner," Toni explained. "Mom won't mind putting out an extra plate."

"I can't stay," she said.

"What's wrong? You're starting to freak me out."

Cheryl handed Toni the ring box, "Please, _please_ don't hate me."

The blonde opened the box, her eyes widened as she realized what Cheryl had given her. "How?"

"A few months ago, I broke in here. I didn't know it was your house, Toni. I swear."

Toni's face contorted in anger and confusion. "You what?"

"We were out of money, and our water heater broke," Cheryl explained, tears cascading down her face. "I made a foolish decision. I know that now. I regretted it the moment I found out this was your house."

"The day you ran out of my car," Toni added, putting the pieces together.

Cheryl nodded, "I am so ashamed. When I found out I took something important, I did everything I could to get it back."

"So what, you wouldn't have bothered if you had _robbed_ someone else?" Toni scoffed. "This is unbelievable."

"Please," Cheryl begged.

"You need to leave, Cheryl," Toni said, trying to control the hurt in her voice.

"Toni, please."

The blonde shook her head, "I… I need time. Okay?"

"I'm sorry," Cheryl wept. "I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, I know," Toni acknowledged. "I just… I just can't right now." She retreated back inside, closing the door as she went.

Cheryl brought her hand to her mouth, stifling a sob. She knew she did the right thing, but she wondered if it was the correct decision. Her heart felt as though it was being clenched by her chest, and breathing was proving difficult. It took every ounce of the redhead's strength to hold in her cries until she was in her car.


	17. Chapter 17

Days went by, and nothing. No contact; no speaking. They hadn't talked once over text, let alone in person. Toni was avoiding her, dodging her in the halls. When they had to be near each other, like in English Literature, Toni would actively ignore her.

Cheryl couldn't help but think about how far they had come before she threw it all away. She couldn't regret her choice. She knew she did the right thing… no matter how much it hurt.

The redhead just wanted a moment to explain, but at the same time, she worried any moment would give Toni the opportunity to end their… whatever it was… for good.

"Ready for lunch?" Jughead asked as he leaned up against the cool metal.

The redhead was shoving her books into her locker. "I'll meet you there."

"You aren't going to stand out here _hoping_ you see her, are you?" he asked.

"No," Cheryl scoffed. "I simply need to go to the bathroom. I doubted you would want to wait outside the ladies' room when there is food waiting for you in the cafeteria."

"You know me too well," the boy laughed.

She closed the locker door and they walked off together until they reached the bathrooms. "See you in a few, Jug," Cheryl said.

Jughead took off, his stomach leading him towards the food. Cheryl laughed momentarily before turning to her right and stepping towards the bathroom. As she opened the wooden door, Cheryl came face to face with dyed blonde.

"Toni," she breathed out.

Toni scoffed, "I'm not ready, Cheryl."

"Please let me explain." Cheryl begged, finally having a moment with the girl.

The shorter girl shook her head, "I can't believe you'd try to talk to me after what you did."

"Toni…"

"Cheryl, please leave me alone," she said as she pushed past, leaving Cheryl speechless with tears streaming down her face.

* * *

"She hates me," Cheryl said as she paced back and forth in her room. "I made the love of my life hate me."

"She doesn't hate you," Jughead encouraged, trying the best he could.

"You didn't see her," she countered. "She's been avoiding me for days. I tried to talk to her, but she can't even look at me."

"You did drop a bombshell on her, though."

Cheryl glared at him, angry at his use of phrasing. "I am quite aware of what I did, Jughead."

"Just give her some time," he suggested.

"I'm scared," the redhead admitted. "I'm so scared."

"Hey," Jughead said as he stood up, reaching to embrace his friend, "I've got you. It'll work itself out okay?"

Cheryl cried in his arms until she felt her phone buzz. Her face contorted in confusion as she broke the hug and reached into her pocket. She glanced down at the device and gasped. "It's Toni," Cheryl looked up from her phone, panic in her eyes.

Jughead stared at her for a moment before asking, "Well, what does it say?"

"Right," the redhead turned her attention back to her device.

**TT** **[04:57pm]:** Can you come over?

**TT** **[04:57pm]:** We need to talk

"She wants to talk," Cheryl said. "What do I do?"

"Go see what she has to say," the boy shrugged. "Hopefully it's good news."

"With my luck, it won't be."

* * *

Cheryl knocked on Toni's front door, dreading what was to come. If the girl wanted to end things, she could have done that over text. Maybe it was good news, maybe things would work out.

"Hey, Cheryl," Toni said as she swung the door open. "Come on in."

The redhead followed her inside and up the stairs to Toni's bedroom. The shorter girl shut the door behind them as they entered.

"We need to talk," she said. Toni walked over to the bed and sat down, motioning for Cheryl to join her.

Cheryl nodded. Her throat felt dry, and she took a deep breath. She walked over to the bed and sat beside Toni. Tears already threatened to fall as she waited for the other shoe to drop.

"I've been thinking a lot about what you told me," Toni explained. "I want you to explain why."

"I… I made a mistake, Toni. Words can't express how much I regret my actions," Cheryl responded.

"Right, but _why_ did you do it?"

The redhead inhaled sharply, struggling to stay composed. "The water heater broke, and the water was freezing. It… it reminded me of something _awful_. And we didn't even have money for food, let alone repairs."

"You didn't have food?"

Cheryl shook her head, "We had instant noodles but not much else."

"You really were just trying to survive," Toni said to herself.

The taller girl's brow furrowed, "Hm?"

"I was talking to my grandpa earlier," Toni explained. "I was trying to make sense of what you did, and he always helps me work through things. He has since I was a little kid."

"Wh-what did he say?"

Toni began to tell Cheryl about her afternoon spent with her grandfather. The redhead hung onto every word she spoke, awaiting her fate.

* * *

_Toni went straight to her grandfather's after school. He lived on one of the other houses on the Topaz property. Despite their physical closeness, Toni didn't visit him often._

_"Hello, Ant," Thomas greeted as he opened the door. "A visit from my granddaughter? Did I win the lottery?"_

_"Hey, Grandpa," she laughed. "I hope you don't mind me stopping by. School just got out."_

_"I never mind seeing you," the man responded, ushering his granddaughter into the house. He settled down in his favorite armchair, and Toni sat down on the sofa. "So to what do I owe this visit?"_

_"Just thought I'd stop by," Toni shrugged, avoiding his question._

_He chuckled and reclined his seat. Rather than push her, he turned on the television, changing to the Game Show Network._

_They sat in silence for a while, watching reruns of Family Feud. Occasionally, Toni would laugh at the answers, but neither Topaz spoke. It was a comfortable silence, but Toni couldn't ignore the racing thoughts in her mind for too long._

_"Grandpa?" she asked, getting the man's attention. "Can you tell me what it was like… growing up on the Southside?"_

_"It was not the life we have now," he said. "I miss it greatly, but I cannot deny the comforts I now have because of your father's business."_

_"You miss it?"_

_"I miss our people," Thomas explained. "I do not miss the Southside."_

_"Was the Southside really that bad?" she continued, trying to rationalize what Cheryl had done._

_Thomas reached for the remote and turned off the television. He had a sense that there was more to his granddaughter's inquiry than a simple question. "People had to do whatever necessary for survival," he told her. "Even more so now."_

_Toni thought for a moment before asking, "Even steal?"_

_"Yes, or worse."_

_"This girl I've been seeing stole something from me," the blonde sighed._

_He took a deep breath. "How did you find out?"_

_"She told me," Toni answered._

_"Interesting," he nodded. "She volunteered in telling you this?"_

_"Yes," the girl confirmed. "When she gave it back."_

_"Would you have known otherwise?"_

_"Probably not," she replied. "Things were great… I thought I really liked her."_

_"So she risked your relationship to do the right thing knowing she could lose you," the man observed. He leaned back in his armchair, "She was putting your happiness above her own?"_

_Toni shrugged, "Or she did it out of guilt."_

_"Does she seem like that kind of person?"_

_Toni shook her head, "No… she's a great person. Or, at least, I thought she was."_

_"I'm sure it was very hard for her to come to you with the truth."_

_"I know that… but I don't know how to deal with knowing she did it in the first place," Toni sighed. She leaned forward and rested her head in her hands, rubbing her forehead with her fingers._

_"Have you ever made a mistake?" her grandfather asked._

_The blonde scoffed, "Yeah… a huge one."_

_"Did the person forgive you?"_

_"Yeah." Toni thought of Cheryl forgiving her after everything she did without a moment's hesitation. "I'm still not sure I deserved it."_

_Thomas nodded in understanding, "Where do you think you'd be if they didn't?"_

_A small smile graced Toni's lips, "Still denying my heritage, and probably pining over someone who never really cared about me. Her forgiving me helped me be a better version of myself… because I wanted to be worthy of it. But she didn't do it to change me… she did it because she cares about me."_

_"And do you care about her?"_

_Toni squinted as her smile changed into a smirk, "How'd you know I'm talking about the same person, Grandpa?"_

_The old man laughed, "I'm very insightful, little one. So are you going to get your girl or not?"_

_"Yeah… yeah I am," Toni exhaled. She stood up from the couch with a sense of determination. "I'm not going to ruin the best thing in my life right now over something that happened before we were even friends."_

* * *

"So you forgive me?" Cheryl asked, not fully believing it was true.

Toni nodded. She took a deep breath, and turned towards the redhead. "I do," she said. Toni raised her hand and brushed a strand of hair behind the girl's ear. "I want to trust you, Cheryl."

"You can," Cheryl pleaded. "I messed up, but I'd _never_ intentionally hurt you, Toni. I promise."

"I… I believe you," the shorter girl responded. "I don't know why… I just… Something inside tells me I can."

"I swear I won't let you down again."

Toni smiled and licked her top lip. She paused for a moment, staring into Cheryl's eyes. "Can I kiss you?"

"Wh-what?" Cheryl asked, having been caught off guard.

"Can I—"

"Yes," she answered.

"So you did hear me," Toni laughed. Her hand wrapped behind Cheryl's neck, and she pulled the girl in close. "I'm trusting you."

Cheryl nodded, her eyes still locked on Toni's. The shorter girl closed the distance, gently bringing her lips to Cheryl's. The redhead moaned at the contact.

Toni pulled away, and her eyes fluttered open. A smile crept upon her face. "I've been wanting to do that for a while."

The redhead's eyes opened, and she was still in Toni's bedroom.

_It didn't work._

As defeated as she felt knowing the kiss didn't take her back to her own reality, she couldn't help but smile. She may not be back where she so desperately wanted, but Cheryl was bursting with happiness. "I'm glad you did."

Toni smirked before pulling Cheryl back to her. She gently cupped her cheeks with her hands, thumbs rubbing over the apples of the redhead's cheeks. Cheryl slid her hands around Toni's back, pulling her closer, breathing her in.

The kiss was more passionate than their previous peck, their lips moving together languidly. Toni was the first to deepen it, causing Cheryl to hum in approval.

It may have been their "first kiss" in this universe, but it felt _so_ familiar to Cheryl. And as her tongue danced with Toni's, Cheryl thought one thing:

_This feels like home._

The blonde backed away a few minutes later, her hands still cradling Cheryl's face. "Do you want to stay for dinner?" she asked.

Cheryl nodded, "I'd love to, but will that be okay with your parents… after… what I did?"

"They don't know," Toni answered. "And I'm not planning on telling them."

"Won't your grandpa?"

"I didn't exactly tell him you broke into the house, Cher," the shorter girl sighed. "I'd prefer to forget it, if that's ok."

"More than," Cheryl responded. "I'd like nothing more."

"Good," Toni nodded. "A fresh start?"

"A fresh start."


	18. Chapter 18

"The kiss didn't work," Cheryl sighed, walking into her room. She had texted Jughead asking him to come back over when leaving Toni's after eating dinner with her family. "I'm supposed to be home now, Jug!" Cheryl plopped down on her bed next to Jughead and rested her head in her hands.

"Wait, you kissed her?" Jughead asked. "So everything is okay with you two?"

Cheryl sat upright, a smile on her face. "More than," the girl blushed. "She forgave me and then we kissed. It was," she sighed, "_perfect_. Which is the problem! How am I still here and not back to the real world?"

"Okay, Cher, hear me out… What if… don't hate me for saying this, but what if _this_ is the real world?" Jughead suggested.

"Absolutely not," the redhead spat, clearly disgusted at the mere idea. "That's… that's preposterous."

"Think about it."

Cheryl shook her head, "I refuse to even entertain such a notion. There I had Toni. There I was rich and ruled the school. How could that possibly be a nightmare?"

"You also had cults and serial killers," Jughead deadpanned.

"No… I refuse to believe that."

"Well the kiss didn't work, so it's either that or—"

"I choose to believe whatever 'or' is," she said before he had a chance to finish his thought.

Jughead sighed, "Maybe the kiss didn't work because it's not true love."

"I _love_ her with my _entire_ being, Jughead," Cheryl seethed.

"I know you do, but she doesn't love you," Jughead reminded. "At least… not yet."

Cheryl sighed, "Okay… so… new plan. I just have to make Toni fall in love with me."

* * *

"Any plans for the weekend?" Cheryl asked. She was currently leaning up against the lockers while Toni pulled her books out for her afternoon classes.

Toni smirked, "Trying to ask me out, Blossom?"

The redhead blushed, "And failing apparently."

"Nah," Toni disagreed. "You're doing just fine, Cher. But I'm busy this weekend. My parents are out of town this weekend, and I have to watch Violet."

"I understand," Cheryl said, a twinge of disappointment in her voice. She tilted her head to the side, a relaxed smile upon her cherry lips. "I'm sure she'll love spending that time with you."

"Yeah," the shorter girl nodded. "She's really excited. We're going to the Woodsburg Zoo tomorrow. Going to make a day of it."

"That should be fun."

"And then I'm going to be busy Sunday with homework. I'm excited to go, but it's going to suck not being able to see you this weekend." Toni bit down on her bottom lip for a moment before asking, "Unless you want to come with?"

"To the zoo?"

"Yeah, with me and my sister," the blonde confirmed. "I promise it'll be fun."

"I need no convincing," Cheryl grinned. "I'd love to go."

"Great," Toni smiled widely. "I'll pick you up tomorrow at 9."

* * *

The next day, Toni was waiting outside Cheryl's trailer at exactly 9:00am. No one could say the girl wasn't punctual. Cheryl was surprised when she went outside and found a silver, Jaguar SUV instead of Toni's Tesla.

"Hope you don't mind," Toni said as Cheryl opened the door. "Violet isn't allowed in my car until she's big enough for the front seat."

"I _am_ big!" the girl yelled from the backseat.

Toni laughed and shook her head. "Sure you are, gremlin."

"This is fine, Toni," Cheryl assured. She got in the vehicle and fastened her seatbelt.

The blonde started the Jaguar and turned on the radio. As they left Riverdale and got onto the highway, Toni reached over and grabbed Cheryl's hand, causing the redhead to gasp. Toni looked over, glancing at their entwined hands. A smile crept across her face at the sight.

"Have you been here before?" Toni asked.

Cheryl nodded, "Once, when I was a little girl. It's where my brother wanted to go for our birthday."

"You didn't?"

"Not really," the redhead admitted. "But I did have fun once we were there. I was particularly fond of the bears."

Toni squeezed her hand, "We'll make sure we have plenty of time for the bears then."

"I wanna see the bears!" Violet exclaimed.

Cheryl turned in her seat, looking towards the back, "What are you excited to see, Violet?"

"The otters," the girl answered, suddenly acting shy.

"Otters are really cute," Cheryl said with a smile. Her lips were natural, forgoing her signature color for the day.

Toni's eyes met her sister's in the rear-view mirror, "Otters are Violet's _favorite_."

"I love otters," the redhead said. "You want to know why?"

Violet subtly nodded her head, staring at Cheryl.

"I love otters because that's what Hermione Granger's patronus is."

The small girl's eyes lit up, "You know Harry Potter?"

"It's only my favorite book," Cheryl told her.

Violet looked to Toni, "I like her."

Toni smiled, "Yeah… me too."

Violet's _favorite_ song came on the radio, and Toni turned it up out of habit. Her sister sang loudly for the rest of the drive. Song after song, Violet would belt her heart out. Cheryl and Toni joined in on the third song, singing along with the radio and child in the backseat. Their hands stayed connected, Toni not letting go until she was turning off at the Woodsburg exit.

* * *

The zoo was crowded as they entered. Toni turned to her sister, "Vi, you're going to have to hold on to my hand. Okay?"

"Can I hold Cherrie's hand?" the girl asked.

Toni turned to Cheryl, an amused look on her face, "That's up to Cheryl."

The redhead fought back a smile. She bend down and offered her hand to Violet, "It would be my pleasure."

They went straight for the river otters. Violet was beyond excited as they watched the animals swimming around in the water. They stayed there for quite a while, Toni making sure to take plenty of pictures of Violet with her favorite animal.

"She's truly adorable," Cheryl observed.

Toni nodded, "Yeah, she is."

"Thank you for inviting me today."

The blonde girl blushed, "I'm glad you came."

"Me too."

"Alright, gremlin," Toni said, getting Violet's attention. "We have a lot of other animals to see, and I promised Cheryl time with the bears. You want to see the bears right?"

The little girl nodded eagerly and ran away from the glass to grab Cheryl's hand once more. "I wanna see the bears."

They stopped at other exhibits on the way to the bears, taking in as much of the zoo as possible. Violet was especially fond of the giraffes.

Just before the bears they passed a face painter. A small boy, roughly Violet's age, sat in the chair, tiger strips being painted upon his face.

"Please," Violet begged, pulling on Toni's wrist. "Can I?"

"Okay," the blonde chuckled. "What do you think you want painted on your face?"

The child bit down on her lip, deep in thought.

"What about some giraffe spots?" Cheryl suggested, causing the girl's eyes to widen.

"Yeah," Violet cheered. "Raffe spots!"

She hopped up on the chair, slightly disappointed to learn Cheryl couldn't be the one to paint her face. Toni assured her sister the zoo employee, a girl named Chelsea, would do an excellent job, which she did. Fifteen minutes later she finished, leaving Violet with giraffe spots covering her small face.

"Very adorable," Cheryl told her as she ran from the chair.

They walked from there to the bears, Violet holding on to Toni's hand in her right and Cheryl's in her left. Toni insisted on taking Cheryl's picture at the bears, and Violet insisted on being in the picture with her. The blonde had the biggest, most sincere smile on her lips as she snapped the photo with her camera.

"Thanks again for today," Cheryl said as they walked back to the car a short time later.

"You're welcome," Violet answered back, holding on tight to the stuffed otter Toni bought her on the way out.

Toni laughed, "I think she was talking to me, kid. And you're welcome, Cher. Thank you again for coming with us."

* * *

After the zoo, they went to a local diner for burgers, which everyone agreed were not as good as Pop's. After filling their bellies, they began the hour drive back to Riverdale. Violet fell asleep almost instantly, leaving Cheryl and Toni the chance to talk.

"You didn't wear your jacket today," the blonde observed. "Isn't that a requirement or something?"

"It's rather warm," Cheryl answered. "Plus, I wasn't sure how you'd feel about your sister being seen with a gang member… even if your family did help found said gang."

"Yeah," Toni bit her lip, her eyes staying focused on the road. "Can you… can you tell me about them?"

"Them?"

"The Serpents," the shorter girl clarified. "I don't really know anything about them."

Cheryl turned to look at her, "Your grandfather never told you?"

"I never wanted to talk about it," Toni shrugged, clearly ashamed. "I wanted nothing to do with anything related to the Southside."

"What would you like to know?" Cheryl asked.

"Whatever you know," the blonde replied. "I know this probably isn't date conversation, but if you wouldn't mind."

"So this was a date?"

"Oh," Toni blushed. "I thought it was."

Cheryl bit down on her tongue, the muscle barely peeking out of her lips. "I see no problem with that. Well, in that case, this has been a wonderful date. _And_ I'd be happy to tell you all that I know about your ancestors. Though, it may be wise to consult your grandfather; I'm not sure how accurate my information is."

_Or what's changed._

"Thanks, Cher."

"Of course," the redhead said in response. "All the Serpent laws and traditions are based on the tradition of the Uktena, your grandfather's people. Your people."

"You're representing my family more than I am," Toni nodded. "I really am a failure."

Cheryl reached over and placed a comforting hand on her lap, "No, you are not. Perhaps a drive isn't the best time to discuss this?"

"No, no. I want to hear it."

"The Serpents are all that's left of the Uktena, most of them were slaughtered in a raid by General Pickens."

"The one who founded Riverdale?"

Cheryl nodded, "The very same."

"How do people not know that?"

The redhead thought back to the protest Toni led, the first time she stood with the Serpents. "I guess no one has cared enough to tell them yet."

"Someone needs to."

"Why did your family leave?"

Toni sighed, "The violence. My parents moved when my mom was pregnant. His startup was taking off, and he wanted me growing up somewhere safer than he did. Losing his brother changed him."

"Your uncle?"

"He died when he was only 19," Toni exhaled. "My dad had to drag my grandpa along with them; he didn't want to go."

"Oh my God," Cheryl gasped. "I'm so sorry, Toni." She knew how awful Toni's uncle was, but in her reality, so was Claude. There was a chance he had been a different person too, and to be taken so young…

Toni shrugged, "Never met him. He was working at the syrup factor, and there was an accident."

"Sweetwater Syrup?" Cheryl asked.

The shorter girl nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

"Just… thinking," Cheryl answered. "I can see why you grew up hating the Southside."

"That's just it," Toni shook her head, "I _don't_. I've just always felt like I needed to… and not because of the crime or my uncle's death… it was because that's just what everyone expected. Northsiders aren't supposed to embrace the Southside."

"And yet… here you are with me," the redhead smiled.

Toni glanced over and took Cheryl's hand in her own, giving it a squeeze. "Maybe I'm finally realizing how wrong I've been."

* * *

"Well, she's occupied for a couple hours," Toni said as she entered the bedroom. "I put Zootopia on the iPad." She hopped up on the bed next to Cheryl.

The redhead laughed, "She didn't get enough Zoo today?"

"Apparently not. How about a movie?" Toni asked, already reaching for her Apple TV remote. "You can pick."

Cheryl accepted the offered controller and began scrolling through Toni's library. She landed on Love, Simon and looked over at the shorter girl. "How about this one?"

"Haven't seen it yet," she admitted. "Let's watch it."

"I think you'll love it," Cheryl said. "It's one of my favorites."

_Because of you._

They settled in, watching the movie on the large screen across from Toni's bed. After twenty minutes, Toni shifted closer to Cheryl, entwining their hands together. The redhead blushed and rested her head on the shorter girl's shoulder. That's exactly how they stayed until Simon's talk with his mother.

Cheryl remembered this part of the movie clearly; it was the part she told Toni resonated with her at Pop's. The redhead felt a tear cascade down her face, same as the first time she watched the movie with Toni. She quickly wiped it away, not wanting Toni to notice, but if it was anything like that time, Toni would have seen. Which she did.

"I saw you crying during that movie, Cheryl," Toni said after the movie as she exited to the main menu. "Are you okay?"

The redhead nearly cried all over again, "Sorry, that scene just always makes me emotional."

"You don't need to be sorry. Do you want to talk about it?

"When I first saw that movie, I cried during that scene," Cheryl explained, optioning for the truth, or most of it at least. "My… my friend noticed and asked me about it, much in the way you just did. I had resonated with Simon being a carefree, happy kid… and then he wasn't… because he was hiding this huge secret."

"So, what is it like?" Toni asked.

The redhead's brow furrowed, "Hm?"

"Living without hiding a huge secret about who you are."

_I don't know the answer to that anymore._

"You mean your heritage and your family coming from the Southside?" Cheryl asked, wanting to make sure she understood what Toni was saying while also avoiding her question.

"Yeah," Toni answered. "Nevermind, it's stupid. Me being ashamed of where I'm from isn't the same at all. I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"You're right, it's not, but your feelings are still valid, Toni," Cheryl said, wanting to keep the girl talking.

"It's just… I couldn't embrace my family's heritage without embracing the entire Southside. And for what? Popularity?" Tears formed in Toni's eyes. "You were a lot stronger than I am, Cheryl. You should be proud."

"I am," the redhead replied, still impressed with herself for confiding in Toni those years ago. Toni had given her the strength to be herself, her _entire_ self. She wanted to be the same for this Toni, just as her Toni had been for her. "You don't have to deny who you are to get people to like you. You can just be _you_."

Toni huffed, "I don't even know who that is anymore."

Cheryl gave her kind smile, "I can help you figure it out… if you want."

"You'd do that?"

"For you? Anything."


	19. Author's Note

I will be leaving this site in the next few days and removing all of my stories. I have been thinking about this for a while, and in the last few days I have received an unending swarm of spam comments on various stories. It feels like the right time after that.

I appreciate those who have been following this story, and I'm sorry it will not be completed on this platform.** To read the rest of this story, as well as my other fics both past and present, please follow me on Archive of Our Own.** My username is the same on that site. This story has already been completed and the remaining chapters are already published on that site.

Thank you


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